Hutchinson v. Tambasco

16 N.W.2d 87, 309 Mich. 597, 1944 Mich. LEXIS 368
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 11, 1944
DocketDocket No. 73, Calendar No. 42,469.
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 16 N.W.2d 87 (Hutchinson v. Tambasco) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hutchinson v. Tambasco, 16 N.W.2d 87, 309 Mich. 597, 1944 Mich. LEXIS 368 (Mich. 1944).

Opinion

*599 Reid, J.

This is an appeal in the nature of certiorari from an award of the department of labor and industry.

On November 14, 1941, plaintiff filed a notice and application for adjustment of claim with the department, alleging that an accident, the cause of his physical condition, happened1 on the — day of March, 1941 (not specifying on what day in March it occurred) ; that the accident happened as follows: plaintiff was overcome by excessive and unusual accumulation of carbon monoxide gas. The injury is -carbon monoxide poisoning resulting in paralysis.

Defendants on November 25, 1941, filed their answer to the statement of claim,' setting forth the following: first, that plaintiff suffered no injury in their employment; second, that he suffered no disability as a result of any accidental personal injury arising out of and in the course of their employment; third, that he did not make claim for compensation within the statutory period; fourth, that they had no notice or knowledge of an accidental personal injury arising out of and in the course of any employment within the statutory period.

The amended notice and application alleged the matter as “accident and occupational disease” and was filed January 14, 1942, to which an amended answer was filed1 January 17, 1942.

The finding of the deputy commissioner was that plaintiff’s average weekly wage was $21, that plaintiff had not sustained an accident nor suffered an occupational disease and was not entitled to.receive any compensation.

On review by the department, May 6,1943, finding was made in accordance with plaintiff’s claim that on March 14, 1941, while doing his regular work in the employment of defendant, plaintiff became dis *600 abled as the result of occupational disease. They reversed the deputy’s award and awarded plaintiff compensation for total disability, $18 per week beginning March 14,1941.

In the instant case plaintiff’s work was wiping off the windows and exteriors of the automobiles that were proceeding along the line. Other employees in preceding operations prepared the cars for plaintiff’s finishing operation. The last car that plaintiff worked on was immediately behind a car, the motor of which was running, half racing, with smoke 'coming out of the exhaust pipe. The owner of that car didn’t want the motor stopped during the washing process. As plaintiff' cleaned off the whole side of the car down to the front, the smoke from the -preceding car’s exhaust continued to come out into his face. It was cold that day, the windows were closed and the doors were closed except when they let a car out. Plaintiff continued to work in such a position on the last car that his face was in front of the exhaust and in the path o’f the exhaust fumes for about five minutes. After that, as he testified, he felt “pretty dog-gone bad1 * * * awful funny about the head and everything * * * dizzy, dizzy.” He went back to the barrel, wrung out his chamois, and there fell exhausted over the barrel. His foreman on the job, Charles McCray, and others came along and carried him out into the air and placed him on a bench in front of the building. After McCray finished up another car he told a customer to take plaintiff home but the man took plaintiff to Receiving hospital, where he remained 15 days. He was then taken to Marine hospital where he remained until August 31, 1941, when he was taken home. He has not been able to do any work since. It was 75 days after he returned home from the hospital that he filed his claim.

*601 Plaintiff claims that knowledge on the part of the foreman of. his condition is equal to notice and that he is excused from filing his claim during his illness in the hospital, that under 2 Comp. Laws 1929, § 8431 (Stat. Ann. § 17.165), the statute of limitations does not run against him until the report of the injury shall have been filed by the defendant with the department.

A controlling item is the knowledge of the foreman and the question whether such knowledge of the foreman constitutes notice to the company so that thé employee need not give any other notice.

Charles McCray, the foreman, testified as follows:

“Q. You remember the day when he collapsed at work?

“A. Sure.

“Q. These cars move on a conveyor, don’t they?

“A. No, they push them down; they come in and we give them only just a little push and they go down.

“Q. And as soon as it gets in there, some men start working on it right there?

“A. Yes.

“Q. And then they go a little bit farther and some other men work on them?

“A. Yes, men to do the body washes and men to chamois.

“Q. So that 10 men aren’t working on a car at one time?

“A. Oh, no.

“Q. There is about 2 and 2?

“A. When one car gets done another car takes that place and then the body washers do that one then it gets to the chamoising and- then they get started on that and it just keeps going and they chamois the body off and it keeps right on going.

“Q. These cars are close together?

“A. Yes, bumper to bumper.

*602 “Q, So that the exhaust from one car in front would he right there at the front of the next car, it would he right there ?

“A. Yes, it would be right next to the next one.

“ Q. If you were bending over and wiping aro and the hood and fenders there you would get the exhaust right in your face ?

“A. If you was wiping the back' end by the exhaust pipe, I suppose you would get it.

“Q. . You would if the exhaust of the car ahead is coming right at you, isn’t it?

“A. Well, yes, if of course they are linked together ; most naturally they would be that way.

“Q. Were you working with Hutchinson on a car before he got sick?

“A. Sure, working, I am on one side and he is on the other.

“Q. You do the wiping’ out there?

“A. Yes, I wipe this side and he wipes on that side.

“Q. Is that all you do on the job is wipe or do you go from car to car and supervise?

“A. I am from car and to car and help them.

“Q. So that you aren’t always wiping a car?

“A. No, I chamois the car and collect the money. ’ ’

Plaintiff also testified that the foreman worked on the other side of the car that plaintiff worked, on, and the inference is fair that the foreman knew about the escaping of carbon monoxide gas from the exhaust of the car ahead as described by plaintiff.

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Bluebook (online)
16 N.W.2d 87, 309 Mich. 597, 1944 Mich. LEXIS 368, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hutchinson-v-tambasco-mich-1944.