Cooper v. Vinatieri

43 N.W.2d 747, 73 S.D. 418, 1950 S.D. LEXIS 36
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 15, 1950
DocketFile 9147
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 43 N.W.2d 747 (Cooper v. Vinatieri) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cooper v. Vinatieri, 43 N.W.2d 747, 73 S.D. 418, 1950 S.D. LEXIS 36 (S.D. 1950).

Opinions

HAYES, P.J.

This is an appeal from a judgment of the circuit court reversing an award by the Industrial Commissioner. The award of the commissioner denied compensation to the claimant, Florence Cooper, widow of Theodore A. Cooper.

Claimant’s deceased husband, then of the age of sixty-two, was employed by appellant Yinatieri to assist in renovating and relaying a clogged sewer line. Lowering of part of the sewer line two to three feet was required in order to provide proper drainage. Cooper worked in the trench, machine-dug to the sewer tile, it being his part of the work to dislodge the tile with a shovel, usually two sections at a time, and then to fasten a rope to the same for the purpose of hoisting the tile to ground level. Another worker hoisted, cleaned and returned the tile for relaying. - In lowering the [420]*420trench or ditch to proper grade most of the digging was done by Cooper’s helper. This helper, in addition to the deepening of the ditch or trench, assisted in relaying and covering the replaced tile. None of the hoisting of tile from the ditch was done by Cooper. The latter did not remain in the ditch more than thirty minutes at a time.

Testimony in the record emphasizes the unpleasant nature of the work, including the odor or fumes attendant therewith, and the disposition on the part of those participating in the undertaking to get the job done. It is not shown, however, that this disposition induced other than normal exertion and activity by Cooper. He had on a number of prior occasions done similar work for Vinatieri and others. Just prior to going to work for Vinatieri Cooper had completed another sewer job which lasted more than a month and which was described as much worse than the work he was hired to do for Vinatieri.

After working a week for Vinateri Cooper complained of a “choked up” feeling and said that the fumes or “sewer gas” was making him sick. He then quit working for Vinatieri. He developed a dry cough for which he first sought relief in chiropractic treatments, felt somewhat better for a few days and then called upon a doctor of medicine. The latter diagnosed his ailment as arteriosclerotic heart disease with'resulting decompensation, mitral stenosis and hypertension. Prescribed medicine did not abate the deterioration of the heart muscle and Cooper was hospitalized ten days later. Death followed in less than two days. The period of time between the date when Cooper went to work for Vinatieri and the date of his death was four weeks.

At the time when Cooper became ill and left his job he made no complaint of chest or heart pains to his fellow employee on the job, to his employer with whom he spoke shortly after he said he felt sick or to his wife when he went home. He was, however, suffering from shortness of breath and thought he had a cold. From one of the exhibits it is noted that Cooper made some mention of chest pain to the doctor he first consulted. This notation regarding pain is unexplained by medical testimony.

From the testimony of two doctors, one who attended [421]*421Cooper at the hospital and the other who performed an autopsy, including an examination of the heart and other organs, it is established that Cooper was afflicted with heart disease when he went to work on the described project and that the physical exertion employed by him on the job was such as would aggravate and accelerate that disease. Whether or not Cooper was aware of his diseased heart is not disclosed. The testimony of his wife upholds the view that he was apparently a man of good health and perhaps not aware of his true condition as a result of arteriosclerosis when he last took employment for Vinatieri. The medical testimony leaves no doubt that Cooper suffered a coronary occlusion about two weeks after he left that employment and that the occlusion was the leading factor in producing death a few days thereafter.

From the facts related and from testimony we deem it unnecessary to spread in further detail the commissioner, among other things, found as follows: “That the said Theodore A. Cooper came to his death as the result of an existing heart condition, running its normal course, and resulting in death from normal causes, and not from any accidental injury arising out of and in the course of his employment by Ehrum F. Vinatier.” The circuit court adopted the views that Cooper’s death was hastened by his working for Vinatieri; that claimant’s husband had suffered an “injury by accident arising out of and in the course of the employment”, and that an award of compensation should be made to claimant. The issue here is thus presented.

Appellants and respondent refer to the opinion in James v. McDonald, 73 S.D. —, 39 N.W.2d 478, 479, wherein it is written: “The trial forum for ascertaining material facts is the Industrial Commissioner, and facts so found must be accepted by the reviewing court unless so palpably erroneous upon the record as to be unreasonable; such facts standing substantially upon the same plane as the verdict of the jury. * * * It is only where the facts are undisputed and no conflicting inferences respecting the material ultimate fact can be drawn that the question becomes one of law for the court.” The prior rulings of this court supporting the quoted statements are cited in the opinion in that case. Ap[422]*422pellants argue that the commissioner drew from the facts of the case reasonable inferences and that his award denying compensation must be sustained. Respondent’s contentions are in part stated in her brief as follows: “The facts showing Cooper’s work contributed to and accelerated his death are undisputed and no conflicting inferences respecting the material ultimate fact can be drawn, and liability is, therefore, a matter of law. * * * It is the position of claimant that the death of a workman from a pre-existing disease or condition which is aggravated or accelerated by the work being performed by him, though in his usual manner, as intended, is caused by accident, and therefore a compensable claim, where the injury itself is unexpected.”

The terms “injury” and “personal injury” are by the Workmen’s Compensation Law of this state defined thus: “Only injury by accident arising out of and in the course of the employment, and shall not include a disease in any form except as it shall result from the injury.” SDC' 64.0102(4). Following this definition SDC 64.0104 provides: “The right and remedies herein granted to an employee subject to this title, on account of personal injury or death by accident arising out of and in the course of employment, shall exclude all other rights and remedies of such employee, his personal representatives, dependents, or next of kin, on account of such injury or death.” Beyond the limits fixed by these declarations of law the commissioner and the courts cannot extend the reach in imposing liability upon the employer. And the burden rested with the claimant to establish her claim as one for which the law provides compensation. Haddorf v. Jerauld County, 63 S.D. 448, 260 N.W. 404.

The material ultimate fact for determination by the commissioner involved answers to the questions whether claimant’s husband sustained a personal injury which arose out of his employment by Vinatieri and whether that injury was “only injury by accident” within the meaning of those words as found in our code. The quoted findings of the commissioner embrace negative answers to these questions.

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Cooper v. Vinatieri
43 N.W.2d 747 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1950)

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Bluebook (online)
43 N.W.2d 747, 73 S.D. 418, 1950 S.D. LEXIS 36, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cooper-v-vinatieri-sd-1950.