Graver Corporation v. Cullum

1929 OK 66, 277 P. 265, 136 Okla. 209, 1929 Okla. LEXIS 172
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedFebruary 12, 1929
Docket18885
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 1929 OK 66 (Graver Corporation v. Cullum) 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
Graver Corporation v. Cullum, 1929 OK 66, 277 P. 265, 136 Okla. 209, 1929 Okla. LEXIS 172 (Okla. 1929).

Opinion

DIFFENDAFFER, C.

This is a proceeding brought in this court by petitioners to review an order of the State Industrial Commission setting aside an order of the Commission made discontinuing payment of compensation to respondent, W. P. Cullum.

Prom the record, it appears that, on or about the 23rd day of April, 1927, respondent, W. P. Cullum, received an accidental injury while in the employ of petitioner, Graver Corporation. Employers’ first notice of injury was filed April 26, 1927. Compensation at the rate of $16 per week was paid by petitioner, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, the insurance carrier, up lo and including the 8th day” of July, 1927.

On June 20, 1927, Cullum filed with the Commission a motion for medical attention, in which he set out, in substance, that the injury from which he was suffering was a broken neck; that he had been in a hospital at Seminole, Okla., from the date of the accident until June 11th; that on Juno 9th, a cast had been removed from his neck, and that he was discharged from the hospital June 11th, and that, at the date of filing the motion, he was at his home on a farm; that he could not move his head, suffered great pain, and was weak and nervous; was without medical attention, and without means ■ to secure same; that his condition was such that he needed1 to be in a hospital under the care of competent doctors. On June 23rd, the Commission issued an order that claimant report to the insurance carrier for medical attention, and upon refusal to provide claimant with • necessary medical attention, claimant was authorized to procure same at the expense of the insurance carrier. Claimant was . thereafter examined' by Dr. John W; Riley and Dr. R. O. Early at Oklahoma City on July 5, 1927. A report of the examination was fiRd with the Commission on July 12th. The report of Dr. Riley covers six closely written pages, and concludes as follows :

“Examination of this patient shows a rather mask-like expression and a rather lack of keen mental perception of things. The only evidence of residue of disability, that I was able to observe at this time, was a lack of free, painless mobility of the neck and complete flexion and to a lesser degree in adduction. Extension and rotation seems to be fairly normal and painless.
“The patient came to the hospital for treatment, if necessary, but I have gone into the case very carefully and have shown the patient the X-rays that we have taken, and explained the absence of any osseous lesion, and I advised him to return to work of some kind, so that he might rehabilitate liis muscular system.
“The mobility that he will use in an ordinary manner, which will consist of stretching and using the muscles of the neck and joints of the carivical vertebra, in my opinion, is all the treatment that will be necessary for him. I do not believe that there will be any residue of disability after this rehabilitation has occurred.'
“I advised the boy at this time to return to light work at any early date, gradually working towards the end result of a return to the industry in which he was occupied at the time of his injury of April 23, 1927.”

Thereafter, July 16, 1927, respondent insurance carrier filed its motion to discontinue compensation based upon the report of the examining physician. On July 20th, an unsigned notice that hearing of this motion 'would be held on August 18th was filed. No proof of service of the notice was filed. The notice had attached thereto a form of acknowledgment of receipt thereof, which was not signed by either party. On August 18th, the date fixed in notice of hearing, the insurance carrier appeared, but claimant made no appearance. Thereupon, the testimony of Dr. Riley was táken, and on August 19th, the Commission made an order that the motion of the respondent herein, Graver Corporation, and the ini suranee carrier, to discontinue compensation, as of July 8, 1927, be sustained. On August 29, 1927, claimant filed a motion for “rehearing” in which he set out, in substance, that he was totally and permanently disabled as a result of the injury, and unable to perform any labor whatever; that he had no notice whatever of any hearing having been set or held on the motion to discontinue compensation; and asked that the order made on August 19th discontinuing compensation be set aside, and that the ease be set down for hearing and all parties notified according to law. On October 7, 1927, the Commission made and entered the following order:

*211 “Now on this the 7th clay of October, 1927, comes on to be determined the motion filed herein by the claimant to reopen this cause for further hearing to determine extent of disability, and, upon a review of the testimony herein and the records in said cause, the Commission is of the opinion that said order of August 19, 1927, should be set aside and that this cause should be redoclreted and set down for hearing anew.
“It is therefore ordered: That the order made herein on the 19th day of August, 1927, be and the same is hereby set aside and held for naught, and that this cause be re-docketed and set down for hearing at Oklahoma City, Okla., at such times as the Commission may hereafter direct.”

To review this order these proceedings are brought.

There is but one proposition involved, that is, the authority of the State Industrial Commission, on October 7, 1927, to set aside its order made on August 19th, discontinuing compensation. It is contended that, by reason of section 7@97,- C. O. S. 1921, the order discontinuing compensation made and entered on August 19, 1927, became final and binding upon all parties after SO days from that date, for the reason that no action was commenced within said SO days in the Supreme Court to review said order. Said section in part provides:

“The award or decision of the Commission shall be final and conclusive upon all questions within its jurisdiction between the parties, unless, within 30 days after a copy of such award or decision has been sent by said Commission to the parties affected, an action is commenced in the Supreme Court of the state to review such award or decision.”

In Bedford-Carthage Stone Co. et al. v. State Industrial Commission et al., 119 Okla. 231, 249 Pac. 706, it was held:

“Where an award of compensation for accidental injury is not questioned by application for rehearing filed within ten days, as provided by the rules of the Industrial Commission, nor by an action in the Supreme Court within 30 days, such award is final and conclusive upon all questions within the Industrial Commission’s jurisdiction : and the Commission is without power or jurisdiction thereafter to vacate, modify, or change the award except upon the ground of a change in conditions.”

The rule referred to in the above case is rule No. 30. promulgated by the Commission under authority of section 7318, C. O. S. 1921, which reads:

“The Commission shall adopt reasonable rules not inconsistent with this act, regulating and providing for:
“(1) The kind and character of notices, and the service thereof, in case of accident and injury to employees.

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Bluebook (online)
1929 OK 66, 277 P. 265, 136 Okla. 209, 1929 Okla. LEXIS 172, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/graver-corporation-v-cullum-okla-1929.