Hinderliter v. Wilson Bros.

412 S.W.2d 558, 1967 Mo. App. LEXIS 791
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 17, 1967
DocketNo. 32501
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 412 S.W.2d 558 (Hinderliter v. Wilson Bros.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hinderliter v. Wilson Bros., 412 S.W.2d 558, 1967 Mo. App. LEXIS 791 (Mo. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinion

TOWNSEND, Commissioner.

Respondent’s claim for benefits under the Workmen’s Compensation Act was rejected by the Referee. Upon review by the Industrial Commission the award of the Referee was affirmed by a divided vote of that tribunal, upon the stated ground that the claimant did not sustain an accident within the meaning of the act. Respondent appealed to the Circuit Court of St. Louis County where the decision of the Industrial Commission was reversed and the case remanded for further proceedings. Employer and insurer have appealed to this Court.

The claimant was employed as a collector of trash and garbage for appellants Wilson Brothers. He was the only witness testifying as to the circumstances of his injury. The award of the Referee recites:

“ * * * I find that the employee testified that his job was putting garbage and trash from residences into a large tub and carrying the tub to the garbage truck to be emptied. He had to do this many times a day and this was the only job that he had to do. The weight of the tub to be carried to the garbage truck would vary depending upon the amount and the kind of garbage which he had put into the tub. The tub was awkward to lift and difficult to balance and had to be swung from the ground up to the employee’s left shoulder. On the occasion of his injury he stated that this was a heavy load, 75 to 100 pounds, and that he had difficulty in balancing it. I find that on the occasion in question the employee’s lifting the tub did not constitute an accident since it was essentially the same job which he did all day long. It should be noted the employee himself testified that on the one occasion when he hurt his back, he was lifting as he always did lift the tub and that the only thing different from this incident [sic] is that he felt a pain in his back.”

On the issue of whether there was an “accident” within the meaning of the statute, claimant’s entire case was made to rest upon the theory of abnormal strain. His argument advanced in the Application for Review and in his brief before the Commission points up and emphasizes those portions of his testimony which, according to his contentions, support the proposition that his injury resulted from an abnormal strain. Thus, he directed the attention of the Commission specifically to the variation in weight and contents from tub to tub, to the shifting of the material within the tub in the course of the lift, to the tilt of the tub, to the spilling of a small portion of the contents, to the twist of the employee in raising the tub — all matters set out in the transcript.

The Commission made these findings:

“We further find from all of the evidence that the employee’s feet did not slip, that he did not fall, nor was he thrown off balance while lifting the tub of garbage referred to in the evidence; that he was not subjected to an unusual or abnormal strain or exertion; that no [560]*560unforseen event occurred (other than the commencement of pain in employee’s back); and we conclude that he did not sustain an accident within the meaning of the Missouri Workmen’s Compensation Law as alleged.”

Judicial review of an award of the Industrial Commission is limited by Section 287.490, RSMo 1959, V.A.M.S., in this manner: “Upon appeal no additional evidence shall be heard and in the absence of fraud, the findings of fact made by the commission within its powers shall be conclusive and binding. The court, on appeal, shall review only questions of law * * *.” Here the Commission has found that claimant was not subjected to an unusual or abnormal strain. Claimant has failed to convince the trier of fact of the existence of that fact upon which his claim was made to rest. The finding negates the whole basis of the claim.

In the face of the finding of no abnormal strain and the statutory command that the Commission’s findings of fact shall be conclusive, claimant’s brief in this court is in large part directed to the same considerations of the testimony as were urged upon the Commission in the endeavor to persuade that body that an abnormal strain had occurred.

Upon appeal from an award of the Commission, the appellate court “shall review only questions of law and may modify, reverse, remand for rehearing, or set aside the award upon any of the following grounds and no other: * * * (3) That the facts found by the commission do not support the award; (4) That there was not sufficient competent evidence in the record to warrant the making of the award.” (Section 287.-490, RSMo 1959, V.A.M.S.).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
412 S.W.2d 558, 1967 Mo. App. LEXIS 791, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hinderliter-v-wilson-bros-moctapp-1967.