Estate of Coates Ex Rel. Abrew v. Pacific Engineering

OPINION OF THE COURT BY

LUM, C.J.

Plaintiffs-Appellants The Estate of John Coates, IV, by its personal representative, Sharon Abrew, John Coates, III, and Joyce Coates appeal from a summary judgment in favor of Appellee Pacific Lining Company, Inc. Appellants argue that this court should reverse the summary judgment by adopting the “dual capacity” doctrine to allow the non-dependent relatives of Mr. Coates to recover for his wrongful death and by ruling that the exclusivity provision of the Hawaii Workers’ Compensation statute unconstitutionally discriminates against non-dependent survivors of…