Barry v. Peterson Motor Co.

46 P.2d 77, 55 Idaho 702, 1935 Ida. LEXIS 106
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedApril 3, 1935
DocketNo. 6133.
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 46 P.2d 77 (Barry v. Peterson Motor Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Barry v. Peterson Motor Co., 46 P.2d 77, 55 Idaho 702, 1935 Ida. LEXIS 106 (Idaho 1935).

Opinions

September 11, 1931, respondent, while employed by appellant Peterson Motor Company, as an automobile salesman, suffered an accident, resulting in a prolapsed kidney (disputed but so found by the board) and three broken vertebrae between the hips, for which he received $16 a week for 29 weeks of total temporary disability, and after an operation to correct the above injuries, was pronounced surgically healed April 1, 1932, and a compensation agreement entered into April 2d, approved by the Industrial Accident Board, for $13.75 a week for 148 1/2 weeks of partial disability, due to a loss of function and injury to the spine, arrived at by comparison and similarity to 82 1/2 per cent of the amputation of one leg at the hip joint. On this basis, he was paid the full 148 1/2 weeks. Thereafter, November 10, 1932, respondent filed an application for changed condition review alleging a recurrence of the prolapsed kidney and complications, and that the rate of compensation at $13.75 should have been $16 a week, because his average rate of pay prior to the accident justified the higher indemnity under I. C. A., sec. 43-1110. Contrary to appellants' contention there was no commutation of payment under I. C. A., secs. 43-1407 and43-1121, barring the relief asked for, merely periodical payments under I. C. A., sec. 43-1120.

Appellants' next point is that a comparison of the injury to the spine and the prolapsed kidney could not be made with any specific indemnity under I. C. A., sec. 43-1113, to sustain the percentage basis of the first award now making a total as of the loss of one leg at the hip. *Page 706

Respondent concedes that any injury to the kidney is not mentioned in I. C. A., sec. 43-1113, but justifies the board's percentage comparison on the phrase, "and all other cases in this class." The correct interpretation of this section depends upon the meaning of the term "class." If the word "class" be considered to mean partial disability, then sec. 43-1112 becomes meaningless because under such interpretation all partial injuries could come under sec. 43-1113. Quoting fromCornell v. Cities Service Gas Co., 138 Kan. 607,27 P.2d 228, at page 229:

"Fundamentally, almost any scheduled injury under our Workmen's Compensation Law produces some — perhaps slight although it may be substantial — unnatural result upon normal bodily functions. If it were to be held that all such results constituted general partial disability under the statute, there would be little or no purpose in having scheduled injuries."

See Porter v. Sinclair Prairie Oil Co., 169 Okl. 449,37 P.2d 626. Yet the legislature intended to make provision for certain specific injuries and indemnities not considered to come under sec. 43-1112, and sec. 43-1112 deals only with partial disability which may be either permanent or temporary. Section 43-1111 deals wholly with total disability which may be permanent or temporary. If the word "class," however, be considered to refer to the various members or organs of the body mentioned in sec. 43-1113, then effect may be given both secs. 43-1112 and 43-1113. It is unnecessary for us to consider the scope of sec. 43-1113 further. The accident or injury here not being connected with any of the portions of the body members or organs mentioned in sec. 43-1113 does not fall within that class of injuries but perforce comes under sec.43-1112. (Eldridge v. Idaho State Penitentiary, 54 Idaho 213,30 P.2d 781; Kelley v. Prouty, 54 Idaho 225,30 P.2d 769.) The authorities below fully sustain this construction of the statute that is that to be compensable under sec. 43-1113 the injury or accident must be to one of the members or organs therein mentioned, but while some of the *Page 707 authorities hold there must be a loss or severance, we do not so hold nor express any opinion thereon because that point is not here, merely holding herein that a kidney or back injury, because not referred to in sec. 43-1113, is not compensable thereunder or by comparison thereto. (Dosen v. East ButteCopper Min. Co., 78 Mont. 579, 254 P. 880, at 887; Addison v.Wood Co., 207 Mich. 319, 174 N.W. 149; Northwestern Fuel Co. v.Industrial Com., 161 Wis. 450, 152 N.W. 856, Ann. Cas. 1918A, 533; Shinnick v. Clover Farms Co., 169 App. Div. 236, 154 N.Y. Supp. 423; Merchants' Case, 118 Me. 96, 106 Atl. 117; Burbagev. Lee, 87 N.J.L. 36, 93 Atl. 859; Clark v. Kennebec JournalCo., 120 Me. 133, 113 Atl. 51; Panico v. Sperry EngineeringCo., 113 Conn. 707, 156 Atl. 802; Johnstad v. Lake SuperiorTerminal Transfer Ry. Co., 165 Wis. 499, 162 N.W. 659; Nelsonv. Kentucky River Stone Sand Co., 182 Ky. 317, 206 S.W. 473.) No case cited by respondent goes to the length urged by him herein. In Farmers' Co-op. Assn. v. Beagley, 158 Okl. 53,12 P.2d 544, there was injury to a leg; Dailey, Crawford Pevetoe v. Rand, 155 Okl. 229, 8 P.2d 738, a hip injury;Allen Water Co. v. Davis, 150 Okl. 13, 300 P. 793, hip, leg and hand; Van Orman v. Robinson, 150 Okl. 156, 300 P. 412, back injury was placed under "permanent partial disability" as here under sec. 43-1112; Texas Co. v. Roberts, 146 Okl. 140,294 P. 180, crushed hip; Stoughton Wagon Co. v. Myre,163 Wis. 132, 157 N.W. 522, eye injury.

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Bluebook (online)
46 P.2d 77, 55 Idaho 702, 1935 Ida. LEXIS 106, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/barry-v-peterson-motor-co-idaho-1935.