Dunivan v. Hunter

89 S.E.2d 44, 197 Va. 194, 1955 Va. LEXIS 211
CourtSupreme Court of Virginia
DecidedSeptember 14, 1955
DocketRecord No. 4393
StatusPublished

This text of 89 S.E.2d 44 (Dunivan v. Hunter) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dunivan v. Hunter, 89 S.E.2d 44, 197 Va. 194, 1955 Va. LEXIS 211 (Va. 1955).

Opinions

Miller, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

On January 8, 1954, Charles L. Coleman, a negro youth nineteen years of age and a resident of Fredericks Hall, Virginia, was accidently killed while working at a sawmill in Maryland. He was in the employ of James T. Dunivan of Mineral, Virginia, for whom [195]*195he had been working for six months or more. It is conceded that his death arose out of and in the course of his employment and that his average weekly wage was $37.32.

A claim against James T. Dunivan and Coal Operators Casualty Company, his insurance carrier, for compensation benefits under the Workman’s Compensation Act was filed with the Industrial Commission of Virginia. Those who sought compensation and asserted that they were wholly dependent upon deceased, were his sisters and brothers; i.e., Rebecca Hunter, age thirty-three, Martha Bell Coleman, age sixteen, Lloyd Lee Coleman, age thirteen, and William Bryce Coleman, age seven. Before offering any evidence to sustain their application, counsel for claimants conceded that Rebecca Hunter, the wife of Sam Hunter, was not dependent upon deceased, and at the hearing no evidence was tendered, nor claim made that the youngest brother, William Bryce Coleman, was dependent upon decedent. Upon the evidence introduced on behalf of the other two infant claimants, Lloyd Lee and Martha Bell Coleman, the hearing commissioner held in a written opinion that they were “wholly dependent upon deceased at the time of his death and had been for more than three months prior thereto.” He directed that an award be entered at the rate of $22.63 a week beginning January 9, 1954, continuing for three hundred weeks for their benefit, that an attorney’s fee in the sum of $400 be deducted from the award, and that defendants pay burial expenses not to exceed $300. Upon review by the full Commission, the findings of fact and conclusions of law made by the hearing commissioner were adopted. His award was affirmed, and the attorney’s fee was increased to $600. From this award an appeal was granted the employer, James T. Dunivan, and his insurance carrier.

The sole question presented for determination is whether or not the Commission erred when it found that Lloyd Lee Coleman and Martha Bell Coleman were totally dependent upon deceased.

Coleman’s mother died about six or seven years ago, and shortly thereafter his father remarried and moved to Pennsylvania. At that time, deceased, Martha Bell Coleman and Lloyd Lee Coleman were taken in charge by their older sister, Rebecca Hunter, and her husband, Sam Hunter, and thereafter they continued to make their home with this sister and her husband. William Bryce Coleman went to live with Elizabeth Butler, a relative, and she has continued to care for him. Since the father’s abandonment of his children [196]*196several years ago, his contributions to them have been negligible and of no material help.

The three children who went to live in the Hunter home became a part of that family and were supported by Sam Hunter, and cared for by his wife as if they were their children. Hunter, his wife and seven children, the oldest of whom is now about seventeen years of age, and the three Coleman children, made up the household. They all lived together as one family until decedent’s death, and since his death his younger sister and brother have continued to live in Hunter’s home and are supported by him.

Hunter was the sole contributer to the support of this household until deceased became old enough to work. When he went to work he was about sixteen years of age, and since that time he contributed to the maintenance and support of the family.

A determination of whether or not the two infant claimants were wholly dependent upon deceased at the time of his death requires an appraisal of the evidence bearing upon their status in the household and the contributions made by deceased and Sam Hunter, by which the twelve members of the family were supported.

For several months prior to decedent’s death, he worked four days each week at the sawmill in Maryland, and the remainder of each week he spent at Hunter’s home in Virginia. During this time he made a contribution of $18 per week, which he paid to Rebecca Hunter, and she used it on household expenses. The evidence also shows that throughout this period of time Sam Hunter earned the sum of $50 per week out of which he retained $5 for his personal use. The balance of $45 was turned over by him to his wife each week and used by her, along with deceased’s contribution, for the payment of rent, and for the food, clothing and other household expenses of the family. The expenses incurred by Coleman for food and lodging for the four days and three nights that he was in Maryland each week and his clothing bills were paid by him out of what he retained of his wages.

The testimony of Sam Hunter was to the effect that when the three children came to live with him, he supported them but that deceased when old enough to go to work, made payments to Rebecca Hunter which were used toward the support of the entire family. When he obtained regular employment, his weekly contributions averaged $18, which he continued to turn over to his older sister, and she used them toward the support of the family. [197]*197After having testified what sum deceased contributed each week, he was asked the following question and gave the answer indicated:

“Q. That was for the support of everybody, too?
“A. Yes, sir.”
The testimony of Rebecca Hunter was of like effect. The questions propounded to her and her answers show that deceased’s weekly contribution of $18 was commingled with the $45 contributed by her husband, and this weekly fund of $63 was used for the support of the entire household. This is unmistakably indicated by the following questions and answers:
“Q. Didn’t you take the money he gave you plus what your husband gave you?
“A. Yes, sir, put it all together.
“Q. Did the family have any income except what your brother gave you and what your husband made?
“A. No, sir.
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“Q. You would take that cash and spend for his brothers and sisters and your own children and everybody down there?
“A. Yes, sir.”

The testimony of others in the neighborhood was to the effect that deceased took care of, supported, or contributed to the support of his brother and sister. These witnesses had either sold to him or seen him making purchases of groceries and clothing and had heard him state at times that he was taking care of his brother and sister. But they were in no position to know that the weekly contributions made by him and handed to his sister were actually commingled and used, along with the funds contributed by Sam Hunter, toward the support of each and all members of the household. It nowhere appears from the testimony of any witness that there was any intention to segregate or an actual allotment of the contributions made by either deceased or Sam Hunter for any particular members of the household. On the contrary, the testimony from those who were in a position to know conclusively shows that the contributions made by both were commingled and used alike for the support of the family.

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Bluebook (online)
89 S.E.2d 44, 197 Va. 194, 1955 Va. LEXIS 211, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dunivan-v-hunter-va-1955.