M. T. Smith & Sons Drilling Co. v. Breed

1930 OK 556, 294 P. 137, 146 Okla. 135, 1930 Okla. LEXIS 285
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedDecember 9, 1930
Docket21457
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 1930 OK 556 (M. T. Smith & Sons Drilling Co. v. Breed) 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
M. T. Smith & Sons Drilling Co. v. Breed, 1930 OK 556, 294 P. 137, 146 Okla. 135, 1930 Okla. LEXIS 285 (Okla. 1930).

Opinion

CULLISON, J.

This is an original proceeding in this court commenced by M. T. Smith & Sons Drilling Company, and the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company, petitioners, to review an order and award of the State Industrial Commission, dated May 20, 1930, wherein the Commission awarded respondent, Bud L. Breed, 47 weeks and 3 days’ compensation for temporary total disabilty at the rate of $18 per week, and 200 weeks for 40 per cent, permanent partal disability, at the same rate, due to a fracture of the skull sustained in the same injury.

The claimant, Bud L. Breed, while employed in the capacity of what is commonly known as a “rough-neck” by the petitioner, Drilling Company, sustained an injury to his arm and a fractured skull.

It stands admitted that the injuries arose out of and in the course of respondent’s employment with petitioner.

The history of the proceedings had before *136 the Industrial Commission, in this case, and the Commission’s orders are sufficiently stated in the final order of the Commission on May 20, 1930, wherein the Commission made the following findings and orders:

“(1) That the claimant, Bud L. Breed, sustained an accidental personal injury on the 14th day of January, 1928, arising out of and in the course of his employment with the respondent, the same being a hazardous employment covered by and subject to the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Law. That as a result of said accidental injury claimant sustained a fracture of the right arm at the elbow, also a fracture of the skull with loss of considerable portion of the parietal bohe.
“(2) That the average daily wage of claimant at the time of the said accidental injury was $7 per day.
‘‘‘(3) That as a result of the aforesaid injuries, claimant was temporarily totally disabled from the 14th day of January, 1928, until the 15th day of December*, 1928, or for a period of 47 weeks and 3 days beyond the 5-day waiting period.
“(4) That heretofore, on the 3rd day of October, 1928, the Commission made an order and award finding that the claimant, by reason of the aforesaid injuries, sustained a 50 per cent, permanent loss of the use of claimant’s right arm, and awarded claimant 125 weeks’ compensation at the rate of $18 per week, and at the same time in said order finding that claimant sustained a 25 per cent, permanent total disability entitling claimant to 125 weeks’ compensation at the rate of $18 per week as a result of the injury to claimant’s head. That on October 11, 1928, the respondent and its insurance carrier filed a motion to vacate said order, which motion was sustained by the Commission. That, thereafter, the Commission, on October 25, 1928, made an order and award finding that the claimant was enlitled to compensation for 125 weeks at the rate of $18 per week, the same being 50 per cent, permanent loss of the use of claimant’s right arm, and further finding that the claimant sustained at the same time an injury to his head with partial loss of the left parietal bone, causing dizziness and resulting in permanent disability to the extent of which at that time was undetermined; that in said order and award of October 25, 1928, no compensation for temporary total disability, as the result of said accidental injuries, was awarded to claimant.
“(5) That by reason of said injury to claimant’s head resulting in a fractured skull and partial loss of left parietal bone, he has sustained a 40 per cent, permanent partial disability to performing mahual labor, the same being 200 weeks’ compensation at the rate of $18 per week. * * *”

Based upon such findings, the Commission therefore held respondent entitled to 47 weeks and 3 days’ compensation for temporary total disability at the rate of $18 per week in the aggregate sum of $855; and further held respondent entitled to compensation at the rate of $18 per week for a period of 200 weeks, the same being compensation for 40 per cent, permanent partial disability due to the fracture of the skull and loss of a portion of the left parietal bone.

From the above order and award petitioners come to this court on appeal.

At the outset it is well to state, and it is not disputed by the parties to this appeal, that the award made by the Commission in its order of October 25, 1928, wherein respondent was allowed 125 weeks’ compensation at the rate of $18 per week, for 50 per cent, permanent loss of his right arm, is not here questioned. The record herein discloses a receipt approved by the Commission evidencing the fact that respon-rent has received all moneys due him from the petitioners for the 50 per cent, permanent loss of his right arm.

This judicial inquiry into the correctness of the award made by the Commission, May 20, 1930, set out above, is limited to the following proposition complained of by petitioners in their brief:

First.

“The first question presented by this appeal is whether the Commission erred in allowing an award of $18 per week for permanent partial disability.”

It will be observed that in the order of May 20, 1930, the Commission found respondent had sustained a 40 per cent, permanent partial disability to perform manual labor, due to the skull injury, and awarded respondent therefor compensation for 200 weeks at the rate of $18 per week.

Petitioners contend that the rate of compensation for permanent partial disability is 62 2/3 per cent, of the difference between respondent’s average weekly wage and his earning capacity after the accident.

The applicable statutory provision for permanent partial disability is subdivision 3 of section 7290, C. O. £3. 1921, as amended by chapter 61, S. L. 1923,, as follows:

“Section 7290. The following schedule of compensation is hereby established: * * *
“3. Permanent Partial Disability: In case of disability, partial in character* but permanent in quality, the compensation shall be 66 2/3 per centum of the average weekly *137 wages, and shall be paid to the employee for the period named in the schedule as follows.”

Immediately following paragraph 3, above, follows a schedule for compensation for permanent partial disability for different injuries, none of which cover the injury herein complained of, that is, fractured skull. However, the injury herein is provided for by the last paragraph of subdivision 3, see. 7290 (as amended by eh. 01, S. L. 1923), above, which reads as follows:

‘Other Cases. In this class of disabilities the compensation shall be 60 2/3 per centum of the difference between his average weekly wages and his wage earning capacity thereafter in the same employment or otherwise payable during the continuance of such partial disability, not to exceed 300 weeks, but subject to reconsideration of the degree of such impairment by the Commission on its own motion or upon the application of any party in interest.”

The Commission in its order heretofore referred to found that the average daily wage of respondent at the time of the accidental injury was $7 per day.

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Bluebook (online)
1930 OK 556, 294 P. 137, 146 Okla. 135, 1930 Okla. LEXIS 285, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/m-t-smith-sons-drilling-co-v-breed-okla-1930.