McCall v. Potlatch Forests, Inc.

208 P.2d 799, 69 Idaho 410, 1949 Ida. LEXIS 251
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedJune 28, 1949
DocketNo. 7472.
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 208 P.2d 799 (McCall v. Potlatch Forests, Inc.) 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
McCall v. Potlatch Forests, Inc., 208 P.2d 799, 69 Idaho 410, 1949 Ida. LEXIS 251 (Idaho 1949).

Opinion

*412 GIVENS, Justice.

This case on former appeal, 67 Idaho 415, 182 P.2d 156, was remanded for the Board to determine claimant’s permanent disability and make the appropriate award, which they have done, for 90% loss of a leg at the hip. Appellant contends the award should have been for total disability, in addition to the computed percentage loss, or at least total disability and additional partial from the date of the pre-ceeding award and the date of this award.

Section 72-310, I.C., fixes the amount of compensation for total disability and so far as this case is concerned, there has been no material change in it or Sec. 72-311, I.C., since they were first adopted in 1917.

The pertinent parts of Sec. 72-313, I.C., as originally adopted in 1917, were these paragraphs:

“In the case of the following injuries the compensation shall be fifty-five per centum of the average "weekly wages, but not more than Twelve Dollars, to be paid weekly for the periods stated against such injuries respectively, to-wit:
* * * (specific schedule) * * *
“In all other cases in this class, compensation shall bear such relation to the amount stated in the above schedule as the disabilities bear to those produced by the injuries named in the schedule.” 1917 S.L. p. 264.

The first paragraph was amended in 1921, Chap. 217, 1921 S.L. p. 477, by substituting for “Twelve Dollars, to be paid weekly”,, “the weekly compensation provided in Section 6231 (now Sec. 72-310, I.C.)” and' adding after the substitution: “in addition-to all other compensation, * * The-first paragraph was amended in 1927, Chap. 106, 1927 S.L. p. 140, by adding after such: clause, “in addition to all other compensation,” “for 99 per cent.” This amendment has been construed as requiring the odd 1% to be the employee’s contribution to-the second-injury fund, Sec. 72-314, I.C.,. matched by like amount from the employer, making 2%, Sec. 72-314, I.C. The 1929' amendment to the first paragraph merely-corrected a misspelled word. Chapter 241,. 1937 S.L. p. 432, amended the second paragraph, substituting for the words, “in this, class,” “of permanent injury, not included in the above schedule, the * * This-amendment was probably prompted by Barry v. Peterson Motor Co., 55 Idaho 702, 46 P.2d 77.

Appellant contends the clause, “in addition to all other compensation” means that: a claimant, after the expiration of the-healing period, when he is surgically healed, or surgery and/or medicine can do-nothing further to reduce the extent of the injury, is -entitled to an award under the specific schedule in addition to continuing partial or total, insisting that ini this case he has been totally disabled, and relies upon Kelley v. Prouty, 54 Idaho 225, 30 P.2d 769.

*413 It is perfectly apparent the words “in addition” there used (54 Idaho page 246 (10), 30 P.2d page 777(10), rt. hand col.) referred to the payments made to claimant prior to the time his condition had become static and the court was determining the proper rule (use of glasses) to be applied in making the specific indemnity award under Sec. 72-313, I.C., and the opinion as carried into effect bears out the construction that the clause “in addition to all other compensation” means but one permanent award — “in addition to” referring to the temporary compensation accruing prior to the time claimant’s condition becomes sufficiently fixed or static for the Board to make a final award under Section 72-310 or 72-313, I.C.

If the Legislature had intended double or pyramided permanent compensation, it would have put the clause “in addition to all other” immediately after the clause “fifty-five per centum of the average weekly wages,” thus reading:

“In the case of the following injuries the compensation shall be fifty-five per centum of the average weekly wages, in addition to all other compensation * *

because, while the rule that a qualifying clause refers solely to the last antecedent may be overturned by indication of a contrary legislative intent, Myer v. Ada County, 50 Idaho 39, 293 P. 322, the above history of the statutes’ transmutation does not indicate a legislative intent contrary to the general rule of juxtaposition.

The construction given a statute by the executive and administrative officers of the State is entitled to great weight and will be followed by the Court unless there are cogent reasons for holding otherwise. United Pacific Ins. Co. v. Bakes, 57 Idaho 537, 67 P.2d 1024; Ada County v. Bottolfsen, 61 Idaho 363, 102 P.2d 287; Breckenridge v. Johnston, 62 Idaho 121, 108 P.2d 833; State ex rel. Wedgwood v. Hubbard, 63 Idaho 791, 126 P.2d 561.

No instances of double or pyramiding awards have been called to our attention and the record would indicate the universal application by the Board from the inception of the statute has been to the contrary; i. e., awards for total permanent disability have been made under Sec. 72-310 I.C., and for partial disability since 1937, under Sec. 72-313, I.C., but never under both.

It is often considered that the Legislature intends an amended statute to have a meaning different from that theretofore accorded it and it may be urged the 1949 amendment to Sec. 72-313, I.C., has such effect herein, the two pertinent paragraphs now reading:

“An employee, who suffers a permanent injury less than total, shall, in addition to compensation, if any, for temporary total and temporary partial disability, be entitled to specific indemnity for such permanent injury equal to 60% of his average weekly wages, but not more than $20 nor less than $10 per week for 99% of the periods *414 of time stated against the following scheduled injuries respectively.
¡it * * * * *
“In all other cases of permanent injury, less than total not included in the above schedule, the compensation shall bear such relation to the periods stated in the above schedule as the disabilities bear to those produced by the injuries named in the schedule.” Chap. 212, 1949 S.L. pp. 450-451.

The construction placed upon Sec. 72-313, I.C., by the Board and Court prior to this time has, however, now merely been recognized by the Legislature and definitively stated in such amendment; Coca-Cola Co. v. State Board of Equalization, 25 Cal.2d 918, 156 P.2d 1, as page 3 (3, 4), and it is therefore clear this amendment was really meant to clarify and not change the provisions as applied. Moore v. Pleasant Hasler Const. Co., 51 Ariz.

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Bluebook (online)
208 P.2d 799, 69 Idaho 410, 1949 Ida. LEXIS 251, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccall-v-potlatch-forests-inc-idaho-1949.