Frame v. Indust. Comm.

30 Ohio Law. Abs. 362
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 15, 1939
DocketNo. 3047
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 30 Ohio Law. Abs. 362 (Frame v. Indust. Comm.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Frame v. Indust. Comm., 30 Ohio Law. Abs. 362 (Ohio Ct. App. 1939).

Opinions

OPINION

By BARNES, J.

The above-entitled cause is now being determined as an error proceeding by reason of defendant’s appeal on question of law from the judgment of the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, Ohio.

In the trial court a jury was waived and the cause submitted on the pleadings, evidence and argument of counsel. There is very little if any controversy on the factual questions.

On or about July 30, 1934 Mr. Rollo S. Frame, Jr., was an employee of the State of Ohio in the Department of Highways. He had the specific title of engineer in the Bureau of Construction. His particular duty was to prepare and investigate federal projects. His regular hours of employment were approximately from 8:40 A. M. to 5:00 P. M. of each weekday except Saturdays and holidays. Mr. Frame’s work for some time prior to his fatal accident was preparing a secondary federal program and he understood that it was necessary for this work to be completed by a certain day in order to be submitted to the Federal Government, so that the amount would not be allotted to some other state. In other words, if the program-was not completed and submitted to the Federal Authorities at the required time, the fund in all probability would go to some other state. Mr. Frame from the time he began employment had been in the habit of wording overtime sometimes at the office in the State Office Building and other times at his home. On this particular work about 50 per cent of the time was required to be occupied in the field and when so working Mr. Frame paid little attention to working hours. Mr, Frame’s superior knew that he was in the habit of doing overtime work. As to the particular time when and where he would do the overtime work was' left entirely to the discretion of Mr. Frame. At or about 5:00 P. M. on July 30, 1934 Mr. Frame and other employees working with him left the Office Building for their lunch at a close-by cafe.

After eating their, lunch they returned to the Office Building and continued work until about 10:00 P. M.

Prior thereto Mr. Frame telephoned to his residence requesting his wife to bring their automobile down and take him home. This was a custom that he had followed on previous occasions.

Mrs. Frame and her son, the latter driving the car came from their home and was driving on the west side of Riverside Drive.

They saw Mr. Frame waiting on the sidewalk on the east side of the street; thereupon they parked the car and waited for him to cross to their auto.

In crossing the street Mr. Frame was struck by a truck and received injuries from which he died the following day.

In due time Mrs. Frame presented the death claim to the Industrial Commission. The latter denied v.he claim on the ground that Mr. Frame’s injury which resulted in his death did not occur in the course of his employment nor did it grow out of it. On application for rehearing the same order was made after which the proceeding was duly appealed to the Common Pleas Court.

The sole question for determination is whether or not under the stated facts the trial court was correct in reversing the Industrial Commission and finding that the fatal accident to Mr. Frame grew out of and was in the course of his employment.

[364]*364[363]*363The legal principle followed in Ohio and universally established in all jur[364]*364isdictions holds that an injury' received by an employee in going to and from his place of work does not grow out of his employment. This principle is frequently referred to as the “going and coming” doctrine; and in some instances it is mentioned as street accidents.

This well recognized and universal principle has its exceptions, apparently in all jurisdictions.

We think the rule and the exceptions are so definitely determined by the courts of Ohio that we need not determine the extent of the rule in other jurisdictions.'

We are controlled by the decisions of the Supreme Court of Ohio if it has spoken on the subject.

The case of Industrial Commission of Ohio v Gintert, 128 Oh St 129 is cited and has been thoroughly examined. The third syllabus reads as follows:

“3. Injuries sustained by a teacher in the public schools while traveling from her home to the school building where she performed her duties as an instructor are not compensable from the workmen’s compensa.tion fund, notwithstanding such teacher did some work in her own home preparatory to or connected with the performance of her duties in the school room. (Inglish v Industrial Commission, 125 Oh St 494 overruled)"

Under the factual statements made in the above syllabus a query might arise as to whether or not it should be distinguished from the facts in the instant case.

The fact that the Supreme Court overruled its former decision in 125 Oh St 494, supra is significant. The case overruled (Inglish v Industrial Commission, 125 Oh St 494) had determined under a stronger state of facts that the Commission was liable. The second syllabus reads as follows:

“2. Where a school teacher, after school hours, while traveling by the usual, direct and necessary route from the school to his home, carrying examination papers, which he was expected, by his county superintendent to grade-at his home, such being the general, practice, there being no opportunity or facilities to perform such work in. the school house, was struck and killed, by an automobile, such accident arose-out of and in the course of decedent’s, employment.”

Judge Matthias in rendering the-opinion in 128 Oh St 129 supra, at page-134 makes the following statement:

“There are some points of difference-between the instant case and the case-of Inglish v Industrial Commission, 125-Oh St 494 * * *, upon which they could be distinguished. We are fully-persuaded, however, that the essential, and basic principles of -the Workmen’s. Compensation Law heretofore discussed preclude compensation under the undisputed facts disclosed in either case. We therefore reverse the judgment in. the instant case, and, though with some-reluctance we overrule the decision in. Inglish v Industrial Commission, 125 Oh. St 494 * *

The fact that the overruling of the-prior opinion was carried into the syllabus clearly denotes that it determines; that its opinion in the Inglish case,, supra was incorrect and that under the-facts therein the decision should have-been in favor of the Commission instead of reversing the judgment and. holding for the claimant as was done.. The statement of factual questions -in. the syllabus in 125 Oh St supra, together with further detailed facts set out. in the opinion present many factual questions very similar to the instant, case. There - are several opinions reported in the Ohio Appellate Reports; and the Ohio Law Abstract which in. connection with the decision of the-Ohio Supreme Court we consider helpful’ and determinative.

A very interesting case and one presenting an exception to the general., rule and the reason therefor in a “coming and going” case is that of Industrial [365]*365Commission of Ohio v Murphy, 50 Oh Ap 148. We quote from the opinion at page 150.

“It is the contention of the Commission that the actual employment of the defendant in error did not commence until he arrived at the funeral home. We cannot so hold.

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30 Ohio Law. Abs. 362, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/frame-v-indust-comm-ohioctapp-1939.