Modern Cooler Co. v. Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board

333 A.2d 811, 18 Pa. Commw. 22, 1975 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 854
CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 17, 1975
DocketAppeals, Nos. 150 and 947 C.D. 1974
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 333 A.2d 811 (Modern Cooler Co. v. Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Modern Cooler Co. v. Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board, 333 A.2d 811, 18 Pa. Commw. 22, 1975 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 854 (Pa. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

Opinion by

Judge Blatt,

These are appeals by the Modern Cooler Company (employer) from two successive decisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Appeal Board (Board) modifying the referee’s order which had dismissed the employer’s petition to terminate compensation to LeRoy Driscoll (claimant).

On December 21, 1961, the employer entered into an agreement1 to compensate the claimant for an injury resulting in total disability at a rate of $42.50 per week. On August 6, 1965, the employer filed a petition to terminate compensation on the grounds that the claimant “returned to regular work at the same wages” on or about April 29, 1962. The claimant responded, however, that he still suffered partial disability from the injury.

The factual background of this case is best summarized by the referee’s findings following hearings held [25]*25between December 22, 1966 and February 29, 1973 regarding the termination petition:

“1. Claimant suffered a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder due to an accident sustained on November 27, 1961 when claimant and a fellow employee were lifting an ice cube machine weighing four hundred (400) pounds to a height of forty-six (46) inches, while in employ of defendant, (Modern Cooler Company) upon which the Agreement of Compensation, above referred to, is based.
“2. Claimant returned to his former employment as a refrigeration — air conditioning mechanic on or about April 30, 1962 and continued to work in that capacity at the same hourly rate of pay until December 7, 1962.
“3. Claimant was given less work by his employer than heretofore, commencing about October 19, 1962 and such reduced work resulted in a decrease, because of the claimant’s impaired physical condition, in claimant’s earnings, for this employer from his wage of $174.00 per week at the time of the accident to $104.40 per week.
“4. Claimant was separated from his position at defendant-employer on December 7, 1962 and because of his limited physical capacity was unemployed, except for sporadic jobs, until August 12, 1963 when he became employed as a refrigeration mechanic for the United States Naval Development Center.
“5. Claimant’s wages at the United States Naval Development Center at the time of his initial employment there, was $2.93 per hour for a forty hour week as compared to $4.35 per hour earned during his employ with defendant, or about a 33 % decrease in earning power.
“6. Claimant’s duties at his aforesaid new employment do not require lifting of over fifty pounds. A limitation of 150 pounds lifting was placed upon [26]*26claimant by the defendant’s orthopedic surgeon who had repaired claimant’s right rotator cuff which had been injured in his accident of November 27, 1961.
“7. Claimant was required to lift equipment in excess of one hundred fifty pounds in performing his duties for defendant.
“8. Defendant and/or its insurance carrier have failed to show that work of a selected nature limited to less than one hundred fifty pounds of lifting in the refrigeration — air conditioning industry was available to a person having claimant’s physical condition and vocational training, at a wage rate equal to claimant’s former earning capacity.”

In denying the employer’s termination petition the referee set forth a compensation schedule, which was amended by the Board in two successive decisions so as to include partial disability payments running from October 19, 1962 to July 4, 1969. The employer has appealed from both decisions, the first of which is now rendered moot inasmuch as the second suspended it.

On the termination petition the employer must sustain the burden of proving that the disability for which he earlier agreed to make payments now no longer exists. Foster Wheeler Corp. v. Workmen’s Compensation Appeal Board, 13 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 45, 317 A.2d 922 (1974). And where the referee and the Board have found against the party having the burden of proof, review by this Court is to determine whether the findings are consistent with each other and with the conclusions of law, and the Board’s order can be sustained without a capricious disregard of competent evidence. Periodical Press Corp. v. Workmen’s Compensation Appeal Board, — Pa. Commonwealth Ct. — 331 A.2d 605 (1975).

The employer argues here that a finding of partial disability is not supported in the record and that, even if such finding were supported, the method here used for the computation of benefits was in error. In determin[27]*27ing the existence of a partial disability the referee may consider such factors as the nature of the claimant’s anatomical disability, his mental outlook, his industrial background, his age, and education, the occupation he could perform where his particular physical impairment is not a total bar, and whether such work exists. Lewis v. Philadelphia Company, 213 Pa. Superior Ct. 42, 245 A.2d 719 (1968). Once a disability is found, the benefits payable are then determined by the claimant’s loss of earning power. Section 306(b) of The Pennsylvania Workmen’s Compensation Act, as amended, by the Act of September 30, 1961, P.L. 1762. To support its position here, the employer argues that the claimant returned to the same work as before the injury, at the same wage rate, and was discharged only as a result of a seasonal industry wide work slowdown. Indeed the record could support such a finding. The claimant, however, presented contradictory evidence along with medical testimony as to his anatomical disability. Dr. Kaplan, his treating physician, surgically repaired the torn shoulder cuff in January of 1962 and the claimant did in fact return to work at his same wage rate. Dr. Kaplan testified, however, that, in spite of the success of the repair, the claimant would risk losing its benefit if he were to be subjected to constant exertion through the lifting of weights in excess of 150 pounds. The claimant testified that such lifting was necessary in his work and that his inability to perform as before the injury caused him to be laid off. Within their functions as fact finders, the compensation authorities weigh the evidence and evaluate the credibility of the witnesses. Having done so here, they then arrived at findings of fact which support their legal conclusion that the employer failed to sustain his burden of proving the absence of disability. Inasmuch as there is evidence to support those findings, they cannot be disturbed on appeal.

[28]*28The employer here also raises many issues as to the amount of compensation awarded and as to the formula used to compute it. The act provides that compensation is to be sixty-six and two-thirds per centum of the difference between the wages of the injured employee before his accident and his earning power thereafter. Section 306(b) of The Pennsylvania Workmen’s Compensation Act, as amended, by the Act of September 30, 1961, P.L. 1762.

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Bluebook (online)
333 A.2d 811, 18 Pa. Commw. 22, 1975 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 854, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/modern-cooler-co-v-workmens-compensation-appeal-board-pacommwct-1975.