Drumright Gas Engine Co. v. Sherrill

1935 OK 454, 47 P.2d 921, 173 Okla. 147, 1935 Okla. LEXIS 561
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedApril 23, 1935
DocketNo. 24597.
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 1935 OK 454 (Drumright Gas Engine Co. v. Sherrill) 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
Drumright Gas Engine Co. v. Sherrill, 1935 OK 454, 47 P.2d 921, 173 Okla. 147, 1935 Okla. LEXIS 561 (Okla. 1935).

Opinion

McNEILL, C. J.

This is a review of an award of the State Industrial Commission. The real question centers on whether the evidence supports the finding of the Commission that the relation of master and servant existed at the time of the injury to the workman.

The Commission, on March 22, 1933, found that the respondent, J. I. Sherrill, sustained an accidental personal injury on April 3, 1932, compensable under the Workmen’s Compensation Law while in the employ of the Drumright Gas Engine Company.

Respondent met with an unfortunate accident, which, in the opinion of medical experts, has resulted in permanent total disability. While dismantling an oil and gas tank, he fell from 10 to 18 feet from a scaffold, and lighted heavily on his head, breaking or fracturing his neck, injuring his back, shoulders, and head. He was a resident of the city of Drumright for approximately 17 years, and, during this time, had often worked as a laborer for said company.

The Commission found that respondent had been paid compensation for temporary total disability from April 3, 1932, to-August 17, 1932, in the total sum of $277.20; that on August 22, 1932, petitioners filed a motion, to suspend compensation as of August 17, 1932; that respondent was entitled to resumption of payment of compensation and further medical treatment as of August 17, 1932, at the rate of $15 per week until further ordered by the Commission.

The petitioners contend that there was no competent evidence to sustain the finding that respondent was an employee of the Drumright Gas Engine Company and that there was no competent evidence to support the finding that the average daily wage of the respondent was $4.50.

The evidence is not entirely clear as to what was the average weekly wage of the respondent at the time of the injury in question; but the insurance carrier paid respondent compensation for temporary total disability at the rate of $14.85 per week, and the evidence shows that, prior to the work respondent was performing at the time of the injury, he had received on various jobs from 25 cents to 9214 cents per hour. The evidence reasonably supports the finding that the average daily wage of the respondent at the time of the accident was $4.50.

The Drumright Gas Engine Company was a partnership, composed of four partners located at Drumright, Okla., and was engaged in the business of repairing tanks-Charles R. Funk was one of the partners and the manager of the company.

On March 12, 1932, the Drumright Gas. Engine Company entered into a contract with I. J. Cohen & Company to dismantle a tank located in the Drumright oil field. The contract provided:

“This is an agreement entered into by and. between the Drumright Gas Engine Company, of Drumright, Oklahoma, party of the first part and I. J. Cohen & Company of Kansas City, Kansas, party of the second part, wherein the party of the first part agrees to cut and dismantle a tank which is located in Drumright, Oklahoma, and owned by Jake Glenn. (Said work to be completed by April 15, 1932.)
“It is understood that the party of the first part is to bust the rivets on this tank with chisel and hammers, leaving the sheets, in original lengths, for the consideration of $3.50 per net ton based on railroad weights. •
“And furthermore, the party of the first part is to assume all liabilities that may occur to their employees and properties while in the process of completing the work.
“Upon receipt of this agreement duly signed and executed, the party of the second part will have their bank, the Produce Exchange Bank, of Kansas City, Missouri,' guarantee the Drumright State Bank, of Drumright, Oklahoma, payment for this dismantling and cutting. The total amount to be arrived at the rate of $3.50 per net ton, based on railroad weights.
“This agreement), 'which is written ,in duplicate, when properly signed and executed will constitute a binding contract between the above parties.
“Accepted
“Drumright Gas Engine Company
' “By-
“I. J. Cohen & Company
“By _”

Immediately after entering into the above contract with Cohen & Company, the Drum-right Gas Engine Company, through its manager, Charles R. Funk, made its arrangements with respondent, Frank Sanders, and Asa Faubus, day laborers, to perform the work of dismantling this tank. The undisputed evidence is that the Drumright Gas *149 Engine Company was to pay a-ll the expenses of performing the work and that it was to pay each one of the laborers, not one-fourth of the profits from the job but one-fourth of the total sum received from Cohen & Company for dismantling the tank. During the progress of the work, Sherrill was injured, and petitioner’s manager, Charles R. Funk, sent him to a physician for treatment. Funk thereafter employed another man, E. V. Anderson, to continue the work of dismantling the tank in place of the respondent. Upon the completion of the work, Cohen & Company paid Drumright Gas Engine' Company in accordance with their contract the sum of $448.12,

At the hearing before the Commission there was introduced in evidence the expense sheet of the Drumright Gas Engine Company. This exhibit had been prepared by said company and showed, in part, as follows:

“Drumright Gas Engine Company. “Machine Repair, Welding and Boiler Shop.
‘Tank Job:
“Workers: Frank Sanders, Asa Faubus, Jim Sherrill, E. Y. Anderson
Our Order Your Order Date of
Ticket Lumber $3.40
Nails .15
2%x3 bar iron 7.44 Compensation 103.53
(Paid out) 116.52
Deceived from I. J.
Cohen Co. $448.12
Paid: Prank Sanders 112.03
Asa Paubus 112.03
E. Y. Anderson 56.87
Jim Sherill 56.87
336.09
Drumright Gas Co. (Rec’d.) $112.03
‘ Difference, our loss 4.49

It is to be observed that Sherrill was classified as a “Worker” by the Drumright Gas Engine Company. The sheet shows that Frank Sanders was paid $112.03 and Asa Faubus the same amount and that E. F. Anderson, who was hired to take the place of respondent, was paid the sum of $56.87, while respondent was paid the sum of $55.16. This exhibit shows that the expenses of the job of dismantling the tank included compensation insurance in the sum of $103.53. This item covered the employees, including respondent. The total items of expense amounted to $116.52, which was paid by the Drumright Gas Engine Company. The exhibit also shows that the Drumright Gas Engine Company received from I. J.

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Bluebook (online)
1935 OK 454, 47 P.2d 921, 173 Okla. 147, 1935 Okla. LEXIS 561, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/drumright-gas-engine-co-v-sherrill-okla-1935.