Exclusivity Doesn't Bar Widow's Gross Negligence Claims for Husband's Murder

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that exclusivity did not bar the widow of a state prison guard murdered by two inmates in a 2021 escape attempt from asserting gross negligence claims against his co-employees. However, her failure during the administrative claims process to identify each defendant alleged to be at fault prevented her from proceeding with her claims against those who went unnamed. On March 23, 2021, two Anamosa State Penitentiary inmates entered the prison infirmary as part of an escape plan. They were armed with hammers and a grinder they had obtained from the prison’...