Channing v. Fisher

1931 OK 363, 300 P. 617, 151 Okla. 63, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 535
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedJune 23, 1931
Docket21704
StatusPublished

This text of 1931 OK 363 (Channing v. Fisher) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Channing v. Fisher, 1931 OK 363, 300 P. 617, 151 Okla. 63, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 535 (Okla. 1931).

Opinions

KORNEGAY, J.

This is an original proceeding to review an award of the Industrial Commission. The award, omitting the caption, is as follows:

“Now, on this 13th day of August, 1930, the State Industrial Commission being regularly in session, this cause comes on to be *64 considered pursuant to a hearing held at Miami, Okla., on July 22nd, 1930, before Chairman Thos. H. Doyle; the claimant appeared in person and by his attorney, P. D. Decker, the respondent and insurance carrier being represented by Edgar Fenton and IT. L. Palmer; and the Commission, after hearing the testimony taken at said hearing, examining all records and reports on file, and being otherwise well and sufficiently advised in the premises, makes the following findings of fact;
“(1) That on and prior to the 16th of December, 1929, claimant, J. Fisher, was in the employment of respondent R. IT. Channing, Jr., et al., and engaged in a hazardous occupation subject to and covered by the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Law.
“(2) That arising out of and in the course of such employment with respondent herein, claimant sustained an accidental personal injury on December 16, 1920', to his left arm, which resulted in the loss of the use of said arm to the extent of 50 per cent, permanent partial loss of use; and that he sustained a serious and permanent disfigurement in the nature of a scar over the left eye.
“(3) That said claimant was paid the sum of $9 for temporary total disability. And that said claimant’s daily wage at the time of the accident was $5 a day.
“The Commission is of opinion: That said claimant is entitled to compensation for a period of 125 weeks for 50' per cent, of the permanent loss of the use of said arm, and to $100 for serious and permanent disfigurement to said claimant’s forehead.
“It is therefore ordered: That within ten days from this date, the respondent, or its insurance carrier, pay to the claimant the sum of $100- for serious and permanent disfigurement, by reason of a scar above the left eye of said claimant.
“It is further ordered: That within ten days from this date, the respondent or its insurance carrier pay to the claimant the sum of $591, as compensation for 32 weeks and five days, computed from December 25, 1929, up to and including August 11, 1930, as compensation for 50 per cent, permanent loss of the use of said claimant’s left arm, and continue the payment of compensation at the rate of $18 per week until the full 125 weeks has been paid.
“It is further ordered: That within 30 days from this date, the respondent or its insurance carrier file with the Commission receipts or other proper reports evidencing compliance with the terms of this order.
“Upon the adoption of the foregoing order the roll was called and the following voted aye: Doyle, Chairman,
“McElroy, C.”

The petitioners in this case have filed a brief in which they complain of the award on the ground that there was no competent evidence to support it, subdividing the complaint into two parts, the first being as to the causal relation between the accident ana the injuries. A large part of the testimony that was introduced on the trial is set out in the brief. Comment is made upon the attitude of the Commission towards the introduction of the testimony, and especially the testimony of the claimant, and the fact that the claimant was led very adroitly and fully by his attorney and by the Commission.

We have examined this record, and while it is true that it appears at times as though the witness and the attorney were very much in accord as to what the facts were, yet there is not much more in this than in the ordinary case. Frequently attorneys get into the habit of leading their witness in suggesting the desired answers. Notwithstanding this, however, the witness did say enough from which the Commission was justified in finding the causal relationship between the accident and the injuries.

There is a further complaint that it would require expert testimony to establish the disability. Of course, the Commission is but an administrative board, and it hears the testimony without regard to technical rules. This evidently was in the mind of the Legislature, when they provided for their appointment, as it did not require them to be learned in the law. However, in this case, it appears that the employer sent in a notice of the injury, which was received by the Commission on the 28th day of December, 1929, in which it reported that the claimant was a shoveler and had been in their employ for three or four years, and was earning $5 a day and the employment was a weekly one. It described how the accident occurred as saying:

“Was pulling Inc hst-cable hung up broke loose hitting him over left eye.”

It further stated that medical attendance was provided through the medium of the American Hospital, Picher, Okla. The date of this was the 20th of December, 1929. There was no answer at the place inquiring if he had returned to work.

There was filed with the Commission, which was received on the ITth of February, 1930, an agreed statement of facts, in which it is stated that the injury occurred on December 16, 1929, and the disability ended December 25, 1929, and that the nature of the injury was “injured left shoulder and eye.” There was a further statement that *65 the “Employee quit work 12-17-29. Employee returned to work 12-16-19,” though evidently the latter date is a misprint.

It further stated that the average weekly wage was $30, and rate of compensation agreed on was $18, and $9 had been paid, and there was a period of disability of one week and three days. There was a further statement that $9 had been received. This was dated on the 14th of February, 1930, signed by the claimant and by the agent of It. H. Channing, Jr., and also by the insurance carrier, United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company.

On the 27th of February, 1930, there was received an employee’s first notice of injury, and he gave the cause of the accident that the brake was out of order on tuger, and his shoulder and eye were hurt, and he quit work on account of the injury on December 16, 1929, and returned to work on December 26, 1929, and that the shoulder was smashed up and the injury was permanent.

With this state of affairs, the case was set down on the Miami docket to determine the extent of disability. On the day set the plaintiff appeared for examination and Mr. Decker appeared on his behalf, and Mr. Fen-ton appeared on behalf of the insurance carrier and the employer. Mr. Fenton admitted that the accident was not denied, and the question was the extent of the disability, and that the $9 total disability had been paid.

The claimant was called, and he related that the doctor told him to go back to work, and that exercise would help the shoulder, and he thought he went back to a job that he classified as no work, “riding rope,” as he called it. He tried to shovel, but was not able to, and that a bump came on top of his shoulder, which hurt him when he moved his arm.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1931 OK 363, 300 P. 617, 151 Okla. 63, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 535, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/channing-v-fisher-okla-1931.