Hanson v. Independent School District 11-J

65 P.2d 733, 57 Idaho 297, 1937 Ida. LEXIS 62
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 25, 1937
DocketNo. 6267.
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 65 P.2d 733 (Hanson v. Independent School District 11-J) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hanson v. Independent School District 11-J, 65 P.2d 733, 57 Idaho 297, 1937 Ida. LEXIS 62 (Idaho 1937).

Opinion

*299 BUDGE, J.

This case was before this court upon a former appeal (Hanson v. Independent School Dist. 11 — J, 50 Ida. 81, 294 Pac. 5Í3) and it will therefore be unnecessary to restate the facts.

Upon the former appeal the cause was remanded to the trial court with the following instructions:

“The board must find specifically whether there is an accident and whether such accident did or did not proximately cause the injury, that is, the ruptured appendix and serious consequences. The presence of a previous disease or weakened condition is immatei'ial, .... and the cause remanded to the Industrial Accident Board for the purpose of having the board make the specific finding as above noted and conclude accordingly.”

The board made no further findings, but approved an agreement between appellant and respondent providing in part as follows:

“WHEREAS The said Emil Hanson is permanently and totally disabled for work as the result of the said appendicitis and complications arising therefrom by reason of the collapse of the right lung, loss of the ribs on the right side, and a large abdominal hernia, and

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED By and between the parties hereto that of such total and permanent disability 300 weeks may be considered as being attributable to the injury forming the basis of his claim for compensation, and that the remainder of such disability may be considered as resulting from a preexisting and progressive disease of appendicitis; and the said Independent School District No. 11-J of Elmore and Owyhee Counties, Idaho, as employer, and the State Insurance Fund, as surety hereby agree to *300 pay to the said Emil Hanson Compensation at the rate of $16 per week for the full period of 300 weeks, together with the expense for medical, surgical, hospital, and nursing services, and other expenses necessarily and incidentally incurred by reason of said appendicitis and illness resulting therefrom. ’ ’

It will be observed that the agreement provides that Emil Hanson, appellant, was to receive compensation at the rate of $16 per week for the full period of 300 weeks, together with medical, surgical, hospital and nursing expenses, which amounts have been paid. The agreement was approved by the Industrial Accident Board on March 3, 1931. On July 26, 1934, appellant filed his application with the board for a review and modification of the agreement or award, seeking compensation benefits as provided by law (I. C. A., sec. 43-1110) for his permanent total disability for work, or at the rate of $16 per week for 400 weeks and thereafter a weekly compensation of six dollars a week. Appellant’s application was denied by the board and thereafter upon appeal from the action of the board to the district court the action of the board was sustained. This appeal is from the judgment of the district court.

Appellant specifies four assignments of error all of which specifications raise the same question, namely, whether the court erred in failing to hold that that portion of the agreement which provides that appellant was to receive compensation for permanent total disability for a period of 300 weeks, only, instead of compensation for total permanent disability for a period of 400 weeks and additional compensation thereafter at the rate of six dollars per week. The compensation allowed was based upon the theory that it compensated appellant for the permanent total disability sustained by reason of the accident and that further compensation could not be allowed since appellant was srdfering from a preexisting and progressive disease of appendicitis prior to the injury. Or otherwise stated: It was sought to segregate the result of the preexisting and progressive disease of appendicitis from the result of the accident and apportion the award accordingly. It was admitted by all of the parties, as stipulated in the agreement, that appellant is permanently and totally dis *301 abled for work, and that his permanent disability was attributable in part to the injury forming the basis of his claim for compensation. The question therefore arises: Was it within the power of the board to approve an agreement segregating and compensating for a part of the injury following the accident but refusing to allow appellant full compensation for total and permanent disability due to the fact that he had a preexisting and progressive disease or weakness. I. C. A., section 43-1402, provides:

‘ ‘ If the employer and the injured employee reach an agreement in regard to compensation under this act, a memorandum of the agreement shall be filed with the board, and if approved by it, thereupon the memorandum shall for all purposes be enforceable under the provisions of section 43-1410 unless modified as provided in section 43-1407. Such agreement shall be approved only when the terms conform to the provisions of this act.” (Italics inserted.)

It is the mandate contained in the last sentence of the foregoing statute which appellant urges was not followed by the board, with the result that the approved agreement was a nullity in so far as it attempted to provide a different compensation than that provided by the Workmen’s Compensation Act for total permanent disability caused by injury arising out of and in the course of appellant’s employment. It appears from the statutes and the decisions of this court that awards and agreements under the Workmen’s Compensation Act must conform to the compensation law and not otherwise. I. C. A., section 43-902, provides in part:

“The state of Idaho, therefore, exercising herein its police and sovereign power, declares that all phases of the premises are withdrawn from private controversy, and sure and certain relief for injured workmen and their families and dependents is hereby provided regardless of questions of fault and to the exclusion of every other remedy, proceeding or compensation, except as is otherwise provided in this act, . . . . ” (Italics inserted.)

It is then provided in I. C. A., section 43-1001, that:

“ If a workman receives personal injury by accident arising out of and in the course of any employment covered by this chapter his employer or the surety shall pay compensation *302 in the amounts and to the person or persons hereinafter specified.” (Italics inserted.)

It is provided by I. C. A., section 43-1005, that:

“No contract, rule, regulation or device whatsoever shall operate to relieve the employer in whole or in part from any liability created by this chapter, other than is provided in section 43-1006 (providing for an agreement between employer and employee for a system of compensation in lieu of that created by the compensation law) and 43-1008 (providing the terms and conditions under which hospital contracts may be entered into by employer and employees).”

In Strouse v. Hercules Min. Co., 51 Ida. 7, 1 Pac. (2d) 203, it is stated:

“Appellants cite Hanson v.

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Bluebook (online)
65 P.2d 733, 57 Idaho 297, 1937 Ida. LEXIS 62, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hanson-v-independent-school-district-11-j-idaho-1937.