Cushing Refining & Gasoline Co. v. Crail

1931 OK 217, 298 P. 881, 149 Okla. 7, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 154
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedMay 5, 1931
Docket21977
StatusPublished

This text of 1931 OK 217 (Cushing Refining & Gasoline Co. v. Crail) 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
Cushing Refining & Gasoline Co. v. Crail, 1931 OK 217, 298 P. 881, 149 Okla. 7, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 154 (Okla. 1931).

Opinion

KORNEGAY, X

This is a proceeding to review an award of the Industrial Commission that was made on the 10th day of November, 1930. By the terms of that award, it was found that the claimant, Paul Crail, sustained an accidental injury on March 26, *8 1927, arising out of and in the course of his employment by the Cushing Refining & Gasoline Company, the petitioner.

This last award recites a former award made in favor of the claimant on the 20th of March, 1928, allowing the claimant for 17% weeks at the rate of $13.85 per week, in all $242.38, by reason of a 10 per cent, disability in his left leg. It further recites a change of condition in the condition of his left leg. The Commission made an award allowing a 15 per cent, additional permanent partial loss of the use of the left leg, and made an award in favor of the claimant for the payment of $13.85 a week, for 26% weeks, by the petitioner.

The Commission’s finding was specific. It calculated the amount of the former award, and it calculated the amount of the award made on the 10th of November, and added the amounts so as to make $605.94 in all. and the Cushing Refining & Gasoline Company, the present petitioner, was ordered to pay the difference between what had been paid and the total amount, making the amount to be p'aid $363.56.

The award is attacked as 'being indefinite and uncertain, and some decisions are cited on the subject. It appears, though, that the award is about as definite as it is possible to be made. The making of the award itself is attacked also, and numerous decisions are cited to the effect that in order to enable the Industrial Commission to make a second award, there must be proof of a change in condition, and. it is claimed that the proof of a change in condition of the claimant, by reason of the injury, for the worse, is not sufficient.

The record in the case shows that when the first award was made, the claimant did not appear before the Commission. A creditor of his, however, did, and the present petitioner was represented by an attorney. Evidently the creditor was very much interested in collecting his debt, and for that reason he represented the claimant before the Commission.

.The Commission, however, did have before it a statement from an attending physician, Benjamin Davis, giving the extent of the injury as follows:

“Severe bruising of hip, thigh and anterior abdominal wall. No fractures detected. Internal injuries suspected. Marked eccymosis over abdominal wall, scrotum and thigh.”

And the treatment was:

“Ambulance, rest in bed, local applications, internal treatment.”

The answer “no” was given to the usual inquiries contained in one of the blanks with reference to other troubles, and it was prophesied that the disability was likely to exist for five or six weeks, and quoting the language of the patient, the accident occurred as follows:

“Riding a fender on truck when he was crushed between pipe and trailer.”

The elate of this was April 30, 1927.

On the 16th day of May, the claimant gave notice of the trouble, and he assigned the cause of the accident as “truck overloaded and hadn’t any brakes”; the nature and extent of the injury as “hip injured— hurts a little all the time.” The date of the accident was March 26, 1927. He had suffered the loss of a member that was permanent, and notified his employer of the accident, and Dr. Davis was the attending physician.

The employer and the insurance carrier filed a motion on the 21st day of June, 1927, showing that on the 27th of May, 1927, the claimant was able to go to work, as evidenced by a medical report which was alleged to be attached to the motion, but is not copied in the transcript, and they wanted the Commission to approve the payments of compensation made, and they wanted the claimant to show why it should not be final.

Response was filed to this on September 30, 1927, stating that since he was injured he was not able to do any work, and that he was under the care of Dr. Davis, who was selected by the insurance carrier; denied that he was able to return to work on ihe 27th of May. He further stated that Dr. Davis, on the 15th of September, 1927, had informed the claimant that he was not able to work, and that, though in great need, he had not received any compensation since the 27th of May, 1927, and that he was a married man and had three children and were all dependent on him. That he had a broken hip, and that his back was wrenched and twisted and’ that he could not remain on his feet for any length of time, and he asked the Commission to appoint some reputable physician to examine him. This was verified.

On the 7th of October, 1927, there was a motion filed by Richard B. Durant on behalf of the employer and insurance carrier reciting the report of the 20th of June, 1927, and that they had gotten a report from the attending physician, Dr. Davis-, a copy of which was sent the Industrial Commission, showing an examination made on the 6th of July, 1927, and finding no reason for the claimant’s being unable to return *9 to work. But, notwithstanding this, they had paid him three weeks’ compensation up to and including the 16th of June, 1927, and tendered him two weeks and five days’ compensation, and the Commission’s form of receipt, No. 7, showing a final payment in the total sum of $150.62, and that the claimant had refused to execute the receipt in accordance with the Commission’s rules, and the request was made that the Commission approve as final the payments, which were theretofore made, plus the additional two weeks and five days, and order claimant to show why such payment should not be approved as final, and in the event of his failure to do so, make an order denying him further compensation.

A hearing was ordered on this for October 17th, at the Oklahoma State Capitol, room 136. Later the representative of the carrier and the employer requested the hearing to go to Drumright or Cushing, and an order was made for a hearing to be held in the city hall at Drumright, to be conducted by L. B. Kyle, chairman, on the 16th of March, 1928.

On the 20th of March, 1928, there was an order made reciting a hearing on the 16th of March, reciting that the claimant appeared in person, and the insurance carrier and the employer appeared by R. B. Durant, and it was agreed that the report of Dr. Earl D. McBride, filed with the Commission on October 22, 1927, be admitted as evidence in the case, and should be the evidence in the case, and an award was made showing that the injury on March 26, 1927, resulted in the permanent loss of 10 per cent, of the use of claimant’s left leg, and awarded him compensation for 17% weeks at $13.85, with directions to pay this, less any sums theretofore paid.

On the 26th of June, 1930, there was a motion to reopen the cause and award further compensation. It was averred therein that the claimant had much more than 10 per cent, disability to the leg and hip, and that the result of the injury was much greater than it had been, and that he was unable to do any kind of heavy work. He asked for a reopening and a hearing.

This hearing was set for the 13th of October, 1930, at the State Capitol. That hearing was before Inspector H. O. Matehett, and both sides had representatives.

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Bluebook (online)
1931 OK 217, 298 P. 881, 149 Okla. 7, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 154, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cushing-refining-gasoline-co-v-crail-okla-1931.