Hohn v. Alaska Industrial Board

150 F. Supp. 519, 17 Alaska 94, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3735
CourtDistrict Court, D. Alaska
DecidedApril 5, 1957
DocketNo. A-7418
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 150 F. Supp. 519 (Hohn v. Alaska Industrial Board) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Alaska primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hohn v. Alaska Industrial Board, 150 F. Supp. 519, 17 Alaska 94, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3735 (D. Alaska 1957).

Opinion

KELLY, District Judge.

The facts reveal that defendant Swep-ston, hereinafter called employee, was employed by plaintiff Hohn, hereinafter called employer, as a steamfitter commencing November 4, 1952; that on December 8, 1952, the employee suffered an accidental injury arising out of and in the course of his employment, resulting in a fracture of the heel bone of his left foot; he was paid temporary disability compensation based on the rate of pay he was receiving in Anchorage, Alaska, for the period from the date of injury through April 2, 1953, in the total sum of $1,670.86; in addition, medical expenses were paid totaling $1,037.72; that the employee returned to work on March 20, 1953, at a salary equal to the salary he had received from the employer at the time of the injury; the employment, however, was not as a steamfitter but was a desk job in the performance of which he sat at a desk and performed clerical work which required knowledge of pipe fittings and plumbing supplies. He continued to work until his job terminated on July 23, 1953. Employee had previously been a resident of Kansas prior to coming to Alaska. After the termination of his job as aforesaid he returned to Kansas, where he remained at least until after March 15, 1954.

A report from a Dr. George Hale of Anchorage dated March 20, 1953, had been submitted to the insurance carrier for the employer stating that the employee would be able to return to his regular work on March 20, 1953. This report had been prepared by the doctor’s secretary, who signed his name thereto. It was brought out later that Dr. Hale did not feel that the employee would be able to return to his normal work at that time and would not have signed the report. He made a further report on July 23, 1953, in which he stated:

“Examination at this time is completely negative except for the slight limitation of motion in the subtalar joint. X-rays reveal very complete healing in such perfect position that I would be unable to tell he had ever had a fracture.
“The patient is not interested in a triple arthrodesis at this time and [521]*521wants to avoid it as long as possible so I am writing you this letter to give you a picture of his status, and to see whether or not you feel that continued compensation is in order.”

After his return to Kansas the employee was treated by a Dr. Jarrott, who submitted reports on September 3 and October 24, 1953, in which he indicated among other things that the maximum improvement had not yet been achieved. These were followed by a report dated December 14, 1953, in which Dr. Jarrott stated that the employee was fit to resume his usual work as of December 7, 1953, although the injury had caused a 25% permanent partial disability.

The records show that on March 15, 1954, the employee entered into a compromise and release with the employer whereby he was paid an additional $675, being compensation for a 25% permanent partial disability of use of the foot. The employee was represented by counsel at the time this compromise and release was entered into and this was approved by the Alaska Industrial Board, and payment was made in accordance therewith.

The employee on March 30, 1955, filed an application for adjustment of claim with the Industrial Board, claiming additional temporary compensation from July 23, 1953, to December 5, 1953, the employee contending that the compromise and release above referred to was entered into in reliance on the unauthorized report from Dr. Hale’s office. The compromise settlement was then set aside by the majority of the Board although no tender of the amount paid thereunder had been made to the employer or its insurer. An av/ard of $2,242.-64 was entered, representing 65% of the employee’s prevailing rate of pay in Alaska for the period of July 23, 1953, to and including December 6, 1953. This amount was to be in addition to the previous compensation.

This court is limited by Sec. 43-3-22, A.C.L.A.1949 to reviewing questions of law in this proceeding and this opinion will be confined thereto. The Board’s findings of fact may not be disturbed unless they are wholly unsupported by the evidence, in which case they constitute error as a matter of law.

Dealing first with the questions of law which have been raised, the appellant contends that the Board was powerless to set aside the compromise, and that if the employee was entitled to that relief, it would have to be obtained by an independent action in a court of equity. There is a division of authority among the state decisions on this point, but it will be unnecessary to examine the several views inasmuch as the problem can be resolved by referring to the provisions of the Alaska Act. Sec. 43-3-6, A.C.L.A.1949, pertaining to the right of the parties to enter into a compromise, provides:

“ * -x- * jf approved by the Board, such agreement shall be enforceable the same as any order or award of the Board, and subject only to modification in accordance with the provision of See. 4 hereof.”

Sec. 4 in turn provides that:

“If an injured employee (is) entitled to compensation under any subdivision or part of this schedule, and it shall afterwards develop that he or she is or was entitled to a higher rate of compensation under same or some other part of subdivision of this schedule, then and in that event he or she shall receive such higher rate, after first deducting the amount that has already been paid him or her. To that end the Industrial Board is hereby given and granted continuing jurisdiction of every claim, and said Board may, at any time and upon its own motion or on application, review any agreement, award, decision or order, and, on such review, may make an order or award ending, diminishing or increasing the compensation previously awarded, ordered, or agreed to, subject to the maximum or minimum provided in this Act. No such review shall affect such award, or[522]*522der or settlement as regards any moneys already paid, except that an award or order increasing the compensation rate may be made effective from date of injury, and except that if any part of the compensation due or to become due is unpaid an award or order decreasing the compensation rate may be made effective from the date of injury, and any payments made prior thereto in excess of such decreased rate shall be deducted from any unpaid compensation, in such manner and by such methods as may be determined by the Industrial Board; provided, however, that no compensation under such increased rate shall be paid unless the disability entitling the employee thereto shall develop and claim be presented within three (3) years after the injury.” (emphasis supplied).

The necessary conclusion is that the Board may set aside a compromise found to be based upon fraud or mistake. This grant of authority in no way detracts from the jurisdiction of the District Court, but within the confines of the Workmen’s Compensation Act, A.C.L.A. 1949, § 43-3-1 et seq., the Court and Board are vested with concurrent jurisdiction on questions concerning the validity of a compromise.

The appellant also raises a question regarding the interpretation of the word “rate” in Sec. 43-3-4. It is argued that by using that particular word, the legislature limited the Board to increasing the proportion of the compensation, and did not authorize it to award additional compensation.

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Related

Hanson v. Benson
179 F. Supp. 130 (D. Alaska, 1959)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
150 F. Supp. 519, 17 Alaska 94, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3735, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hohn-v-alaska-industrial-board-akd-1957.