Xenia Rural Water District v. Vegors

STREIT, Justice.

An employer claims it is not responsible for injuries sustained when a worker got hit by a truck driven by a fellow employee. The district court reversed the industrial commissioner’s award of worker compensation benefits based on Iowa Code section 85.16(3) (2003), an affirmative defense for willful injury. We reverse the district court in part and remand the case to the industrial commissioner for a determination of whether the claimant proved he did not substantially deviate from the course of employment.

I. Background Facts and Prior Proceedings.

Norman Vegors worked as a…