Caruso v. W. T. Grant Co.

464 P.2d 933, 154 Mont. 381, 1970 Mont. LEXIS 405
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 3, 1970
DocketNo. 11766
StatusPublished

This text of 464 P.2d 933 (Caruso v. W. T. Grant Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Caruso v. W. T. Grant Co., 464 P.2d 933, 154 Mont. 381, 1970 Mont. LEXIS 405 (Mo. 1970).

Opinion

MR. JUSTICE CASTLES

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

This is an appeal from a district court order and judgment which order and judgment in effect affirmed an order of the Industrial Accident Board, hereinafter called the I.A.B. The-circumstances are somewhat confused or perhaps complicated but to reach the issues presented on this appeal a summary of background is necessary. To give a word picture of the-background, three separate incidents over a period of ten years will be described.

Claimant was, in 1956, an employee of the Bozeman Canning-Company. On July 17, 1956 she turned her ankle on a rock while walking in an area. The first attending physician’s, report described the injury as a severe sprain of the right ankle. Subsequently the claimant’s back became involved. She-had a laminectomy operation in early 1957. Dr. Davidson of Butte performed the operation. She had a second operation, a fusion, in October of 1957. Subsequently Dr. Davidson rated the claimant as 80% permanent partial disability on that first accident. In 1961 the claimant applied for a lump sum settlement. At that time she complained of (1) constant pain in the low back, (2) difficulty in walking any distance, (3) difficulty in standing,. (4) difficulty driving, (5) pain radiating down the right leg, (6) inability to shift any weight. In addition to Dr. Davidson, Dr. Hagen of Billings examined claimant in 1961 and noted about the same conditions. The Board approved a compromise lump sum settlement of $4,200. Claimant desired the settlement to invest in property.

During the same period of time, that is, 1956 to 1961, claim[383]*383ant was involved in an automobile accident on October 22, 1959. She filed a lawsuit alleging injuries to her back and spine and resulting pain and discomfort. In connection with that accident she was examined by Dr. Yadheim of Bozeman. On April 8, 1963, the claimant’s complaints and the objective findings of Dr. Yadheim were that her physical condition was the same as reported by Drs. Davidson and Hagen in 1961. In May of 1963 a settlement was made on the back injury resulting from the car accident.

In October of 1963 the claimant first was employed following the operation of 1957. She worked only one month as' she could not stand the work. She worked briefly for others; and in September of 1964 she went to work for W. T. Grant Company. She worked for that employer thereafter. On October 15, 1965 she lifted a can of popcorn oil weighing about 25 pounds and sustained a back strain. According to claimant’s version at a hearing before the I.A.B. she slipped on some popcorn kernels that were strewn about on the floor. Claimant went to Dr. Kuennan, a chiropractor for treatment. Dr. Kuennan’s report of October 20, 1965 indicated that claimant described the accident as follows: “I had bent over to lift a five-gallon can of popcorn grease — and as I lifted, I felt a sharp pain in my back, primarily on the left side.”

Suubsequently the claimant went to Dr. Iddles, an M. D., whose report of November 24, 1965 describes the accident as follows: “Patient states that she lifted a four gallon can of popcorn grease from the floor and noticed sudden pain in the lower back with radiation down the back of the left leg.”

The claimant’s claim for benefits dated November 22, 1965 describes the incident as: “I lifted approximately a four gallon can of popcorn grease from the candy room floor. As I lifted I felt a pull in my lower left side and experienced a sharp pain and nausea and the pain travelled down through my left leg.”

We note parenthetically here for clarity that an attempt [384]*384is made to show that the left leg is involved, rather than the right leg; although Dr. Davidson’s report of December 10, 1958 indicates involvement of both the right and left legs and tenderness over both sciatic nerve notches. This was when she was rated 80% permanent partial disability. Also Dr. Vadheim’s report in 1963 in connection with the auto accident noted both right and left sciatic involvement.

As noted before, the first reports, including that of claimant, described a strain from lifting only. Subsequently, in another claim filed on March 10, 1966, for the first time the slipping on loose kernels of popcorn was brought. During all this time, the claimant was consulting with attorneys. Subsequently we shall develop the medical evidence more fully.

On April 12, 1966 a hearing was held on the claim for benefits. Mr. Janies Carden was the hearing referee. At this hearing the testimony showed a conflict with respect to the claimed accident in that the claimant, contrary to her written claim for compensation and the employer’s report as well as the Doctor’s report as indicated above, in which she described the incident as a back strain from lifting, testified that she had slipped, whereas a disinterested eye witness, Steven Oviatt, indicated there was no slipping.

Mr. Carden made Findings and Conclusions on September 19, 1966. Finding of Fact No. IV was: “That the Claimant describes an accidental injury within the meaning of the Workmen’s Compensation Act.” Finding of Fact No. V was: “That the medical evidence reveals that the claimant’s present back pathology and resulting disability was not proximately caused by the above dated injury but preexisted the injury to the same degree that it is now visualized. That the Claimant was off work from the date of the injury until December 1, 1965.”

The Conclusions of Law were:

[385]*385“I
“That Doris E. Masters suffered an accidental injury on October 15, 1965, while in the employ of W. T. Grant Company entitling her to compensation for total temporary disability which has not been paid.
“II
“That compensation for total temporary disability at the lawful rate of $31.60 per week be paid the claimant for the period October 16, 1965, through December 1, 1965, in a lump sum of $207.00.
“HI
“That the Claimant is entitled to medical treatment in accordance with the Act for the period of total temporary disability.
“IV
“That the Claimant accept this award as a full and final award of compensation for injuries arising out of her October 15, 1965, accident.”

The Board, on September 19, 1966 adopted these findings and conclusions. No appeal was taken by either party; that is, the employer and insurer did not ask for relief from the finding of “injury;” the claimant did not ask for relief from the finding as to the period of disability and the conclusion of a lack' of proximate cause, even though the hearing was four months after the December 1, 1965 date and the findings were ten months later. The compensation was paid.

Subsequently, the Board, over objections of the insurer, held another hearing. This time before a different hearings officer, Mr. A. G. Pillen. This was on September 22, 1967, or about one year after the findings of Mr. Carden had been made. At this hearing, testimony was received concerning the physical condition of the claimant from Dr. Kelly of Bozeman. Dr. Kelly first saw the claimant in June of 1967. He did not know her condition prior to December 2, 1965 and did not know her condition as of April 12, 1966, the date of [386]*386the last hearing.

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Bluebook (online)
464 P.2d 933, 154 Mont. 381, 1970 Mont. LEXIS 405, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/caruso-v-w-t-grant-co-mont-1970.