C. F. Trantow Co. v. Industrial Commission

55 N.W.2d 884, 262 Wis. 586, 1952 Wisc. LEXIS 248
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 2, 1952
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 55 N.W.2d 884 (C. F. Trantow Co. v. Industrial Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
C. F. Trantow Co. v. Industrial Commission, 55 N.W.2d 884, 262 Wis. 586, 1952 Wisc. LEXIS 248 (Wis. 1952).

Opinion

Fairchild, J.

The court below was convinced that the commission acted within its jurisdiction in entering the order of September 5, 1950. The decision, as far as the jurisdictional question is concerned, follows the statutes. Sec. 102.16 (1), Stats. 1949, provides:

“Any controversy concerning compensation, including any in which the state may be a party, shall be submitted to said commission in the manner and with the effect provided in this chapter. Every compromise of any claim for compensation may be reviewed and set aside, modified, or confirmed by the commission within one year from the date such compromise is filed with the commission, or from the date an award has been entered, based thereon, or the commission [589]*589may take such action upon application made within such year. Unless the word ‘compromise’ appears in a stipulation of settlement, the settlement shall not be deemed a compromise, and further claim shall not be barred except as provided in section 102.17 (4) irrespective of whether award is made.”

Under the express provisions of the section just quoted, the word “compromise” is an important declaration serving to advise the commission and all concerned of the comprehensiveness of the stipulation. By using the word “compromise” we usually mean that we assume the risk of a mistake for which otherwise one would be entitled to a different result. Under the statute, when the word “compromise” is indelibly stamped upon the stipulation, there is an extension of protection against disadvantage to the extent of a possible review and change if such action is taken within the year. On the other hand, if that word is not used in the stipulation, the statute provides for the longer term of the six-year limitation period. As suggested by the attorney general, this subsection was considered in Wacker v. Industrial Comm. (1946), 248 Wis. 315, 21 N. W. (2d) 715. In that case, an award based upon a stipulation not containing the word “compromise,” the employer-insurance carrier filed application to set aside the stipulation of facts and the award. The commission entered such an order. The circuit court confirmed the commission’s order setting aside the previous findings and order, but on appeal to this court, the judgment was reversed on the ground that the commission had no jurisdiction to set aside its order upon the application of the employer and his insurance carrier. It was there said, page 321: “Their claim is not a claim within the meaning of the 1943 amendment to sec. 102.16 (1), or within the meaning of sub. (4) of sec. 102.17.” The court noted, page 319, that it was not concerned “with the right and claim of an employee for compensation” and pointed out that the 1943 amendment referred to two classes of stipulation [590]*590of settlement, “those in which the word ‘compromise’ appears and those in which the word does not appear. If the word ‘compromise’ appears in the stipulation of settlement, the commission’s award on the stipulation is an award on a genuine compromise and is subject to the one-year limitation for commission action on compromises.” See Metropolitan Casualty Ins. Co. v. Industrial Comm. (1951), 260 Wis. 298, 302-308, 50 N. W. (2d) 399, where it was held that payment and release did not constitute “compromise” under the 1927 statutes.

The appellants suggest with reference to the Wacker Case, supra, that:

“The rule as urged by the attorney general and as based upon his interpretation of the Wacker Case would seem to result in a double standard applicable to the various parties; the employer would find an order confirming the stipulation final in twenty days but the employee and the Industrial Commission would be free to appeal from it at any time within six years. This proposition is without any foundation of authority, and, as a matter of fact, it directly opposed the principles of uniform justice as originally set forth in the constitution of the United States and adhered to in principle and practice by the constitution of the state of Wisconsin and the statutes of this state.”

The question of the constitutionality of the statute was not timely raised and has not been argued by the attoriiey general. It was not considered below and is not before us on this appeal. In Baker v. Leenhouts (1950), 257 Wis. 584, 44 N. W. (2d) 544, in accord with the rule that “the constitutionality of a statute cannot be raised for the first time in an appellate court of a state or upon a rehearing in a civil case” (11 Am. Jur., Constitutional Law, p. 772, sec. 125), we quoted from Booth Fisheries Co. v. Industrial Comm. cited below, which held that (p. 588) :

“It is well settled that constitutional rights, as well as any other personal or property right, may be waived.”

[591]*591Booth Fisheries Co. v. Industrial Comm. (1924), 185 Wis. 127, 132, 200 N. W. 775; Hayes v. Hoffman (1927), 192 Wis. 63, 70, 211 N. W. 271; State v. Retail Gasoline Dealers Asso. (1950), 256 Wis. 537, 41 N. W. (2d) 637. We reserve any ruling on the question of the constitutionality of this statute.

Another case relied upon by the appellants, Boehmke v. Industrial Comm. (1948), 253 Wis. 610, 34 N. W. (2d) 774, is distinguishable from the case at bar. That case brought to the court a second application for additional compensation. Eventually a determination must become final under the proceedings provided for the review of an award on stipulation. In the Boehmke Case, an examiner had entered an award on June 27, 1945, on a stipulation in which the word “compromise” did not appear. Forty-one days later, June 16, 1945, a petition for review was filed with the commission, and on February 11, 1946, there was a finding that the previous order had awarded proper compensation. Another hearing was held in 1947, and on April 4, 1947, the commission entered another order denying the claim for additional compensation. Thereafter an action was commenced to review the last order, and in confirming an order of the circuit court dismissing the action, we said here (p. 613) :

“It appears that the trial court correctly held that her application to the commission after the original order of June 27, 1945, to make a further award based upon her method of calculation was such an application for additional compensation as is contemplated by sec. 102.16 (1), Stats., and that the order of February 11, 1946, was in effect an order denying such further application, which she had the duty of having reviewed within twenty days.”

It therefore appears, as argued by the attorney general, that that case did not hold that the commission lost power to award additional compensation if an appeal is not taken to [592]*592the commission within twenty days of the examiner’s order based on a stipulation not containing the word “compromise.” But it did hold that where there is an application for additional compensation and a denial by an examiner of the request for additional compensation, unless an appeal is taken to the commission within twenty days, the action of the examiner becomes final. The allowance of additional compensation there was not dependent upon setting aside an award based on stipulation.

The last sentence of sec. 102.16 (1), Stats. 1949, refers to two classes of stipulation of settlement. In Metropolitan Casualty Ins. Co. v. Industrial Comm., supra, it was held that payment and release did not constitute compromise.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Miller Brewing Co. v. Labor & Industry Review Commission
495 N.W.2d 660 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1993)
Larson v. Department of Industry, Labor & Human Relations
252 N.W.2d 33 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1977)
Speelmon Elevated Tank Service v. Industrial Commission
85 N.W.2d 834 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1957)
Dostal v. Magee
77 N.W.2d 604 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1956)
State Ex Rel. Nelson v. Rock County
73 N.W.2d 564 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1955)
Zweig v. Industrial Commission
69 N.W.2d 440 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1955)
Wisconsin Axle Division v. Industrial Commission
263 Wis. 529 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1953)
Green Bay Drop Forge Co. v. Industrial Commission
60 N.W.2d 409 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1953)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
55 N.W.2d 884, 262 Wis. 586, 1952 Wisc. LEXIS 248, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/c-f-trantow-co-v-industrial-commission-wis-1952.