Menestrina v. State

9 Ill. Ct. Cl. 486, 1937 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 140
CourtCourt of Claims of Illinois
DecidedJune 3, 1937
DocketNo. 2225
StatusPublished

This text of 9 Ill. Ct. Cl. 486 (Menestrina v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Claims of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Menestrina v. State, 9 Ill. Ct. Cl. 486, 1937 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 140 (Ill. Super. Ct. 1937).

Opinion

Mr. Chief Justice Hollerioh

delivered the opinion of the court:

For more than five years prior to the 3d day of June, A. D. 1932, Dr. Theodore J. Menestrina was employed by the respondent in the Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Industry, as a veterinarian, in making tuberculin tests of cattle at the St. Louis National Stock Yards, National City, Illinois. On the last mentioned date Dr. Menestrina, in the course of his duties, was attempting to make a tuberculin test of a bull at one of the pens in said stockyards, when the animal turned on him. In attempting to escape, the doctor climbed the fence on the south side of the pen. He had one leg over the cap board when the vertical board under the cap board gave way, and he fell into the adjoining pen, landing on his feet.

The next day he developed a cough which gradually became worse; thereafter he complained of a pain in his left side, and was troubled with a shortness of breath. His condition gradually became worse, although he continued to perform the duties of his employment until November 9th, 1932. Shortly thereafter he went to the Veterans’ Hospital at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, where he remained about three months. His condition continued to grow worse and he died on April 9th, 1933.

Julius Menestrina was appointed Administrator of the estate of said decedent and commenced an action in the City Court of East St. Louis against the National Stock Yards Co. The jury rendered a verdict in favor of the plaintiff for $2,000.00, on which judgment was entered. Such judgment was reversed by the Appellate Court on the ground that the evidence did not disclose any negligence on the part of the defendant.

Said Administrator filed his complaint in this court on August 8th, 1933, and subsequently filed an amendment thereto, whereby Julius Menestrina, Leo Menestrina and Leona Menestrina, children of said decedent, were substituted for said Administrator as parties plaintiff.

The Attorney General contends:

1. That Dr. Menestrina was not engaged in an employment which comes within the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Act; that the employment in which he was engaged comes within the proviso of Paragraph 8 of Section 3 of the Workmen’s Compensation Act, which provides as follows:

“Provided, nothing contained herein shall be construued to apply to any work, employment or operations done, had or conducted by farmers and others engaged in farming, tillage of the soil, or stock raising or to those who rent, demise or lease land for any such purposes, or to any one in their employ or to any work done on a farm or country place, no matter what kind of work or service is being done or rendered.”

2. That claim for compensation was not made within the time required by Section 24 of the Workmen’s Compensation Act.

3. That the death of Dr. Menestrina did not result from, nor was it accelerated by the injury.

We will consider such contentions in the order mentioned.

I.

It has been stipulated that Dr. Menestrina in the performance of his duties as a State veterinarian “was engaged in using scalpels, trochors, knives, scissors, hypodermic needles, razors, clippers, and other sharp-edged cutting tools, implements and surgical implements commonly used by a veterinarian. ’ ’

It has also been stipulated that the National Stock Yards is located entirely within the city limits of National City; that under the statutes of this State the National Stock Yards is a public stockyards and cattle received in such yards are considered in quarantine.

Under such stipulation and the other facts in the record, it therefore appears that claimant was under the Workmen’s Compensation Act unless he came within the proviso of Paragraph 8 of Section 3 above quoted.

The evidence in the record shows that said Stock Yards Company is not engaged in farming or stock raising, but furnishes a place for receiving and disposing of livestock; and the work in which the decedent was engaged at the time of the accident in question, was not being done on a farm or country place. Although stock raisers may require their cattle to be tested by a veterinarian, yet the testing of cattle at a public stockyards, under the circumstances in evidence in this case, cannot be considered a part of the work of farming or stock raising.

II.

It is admitted that the respondent had notice of the accident in question within the time required by Section 24 of the Workmen’s Compensation Act; also that Dr. Menestrina was paid his full salary from the date of the accident to the date of his death, to wit, April 9th, 1933. The complaint was filed herein on August 8th, 1933, and under the decision of our Supreme Court in the case of United Air Lines vs. Ind. Com., 364 Ill. 346 (which decision was rendered subsequent to the filing of the brief of the Attorney General herein) the contention here made by the Attorney for the respondent is without merit.

HI.

The question as to whether the death of Dr. Menestrina resulted from the accident in question, presents the most serious question in the ease. From the evidence in the record it appears that Dr. Menestrina returned to his headquarters immediately after the accident. His superior officer saw him about noon of the same day, and testified that Dr. Menestrina came into the office stooped over and holding the side of his chest with his right hand. That evening Mrs. Menestrina rubbed the left side of his chest with linament and such treatments were continued every other day for a long time. He developed a cough on the day after the accident, which became progressively worse, and which continued to the day of his death. He consulted Dr. R. E. Little of East St. Lords on June 22d, at which time he was coughing and complained of a pain in his left chest. The cough grew progressively worse and he complained of a shortness of breath. On October 25th, 1932 he again consulted Dr. Little who strapped the patient’s chest with adhesive tape to prevent deep breathing and relieve him of the pain of which he complained on breathing or coughing.

He continued to perform his work at the stockyards until November 9th, 1932. On November 11th, 1932 he went to the Veterans Hospital at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri and remained there until February 4th, 1933. He then returned home on account of the sickness of his wife, who died shortly thereafter. He was examined by Dr. H. H. Hurd of East St. Louis on the 4th day of February, 1933. He then complained of shortness of breath and discomfort in his left chest, and remained under the care of Dr. Hurd until the time of his death on April 9th, 1933.

At the time of his first examination, Dr. Hurd found the left chest entirely filled with fluid, which indicated to him an inflammatory process of the lungs. The fluid was removed from the patient’s chest on February 5th, 1933 and on three subsequent occasions between that date and the time of his death on April 9th, 1933.

Prior to the time of this accident Dr. Menestrina appeared to be active and healthy, had a dark ruddy complexion, and never remained home on account of sickness or disability during the five year period he was stationed at such stockyards.-

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Related

United Air Lines, Inc. v. Industrial Commission
4 N.E.2d 487 (Illinois Supreme Court, 1936)

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Bluebook (online)
9 Ill. Ct. Cl. 486, 1937 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 140, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/menestrina-v-state-ilclaimsct-1937.