Motor Equipment Co. v. Stephens

1930 OK 448, 292 P. 68, 145 Okla. 156, 1930 Okla. LEXIS 190
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedOctober 7, 1930
Docket21038
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 1930 OK 448 (Motor Equipment Co. v. Stephens) 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
Motor Equipment Co. v. Stephens, 1930 OK 448, 292 P. 68, 145 Okla. 156, 1930 Okla. LEXIS 190 (Okla. 1930).

Opinion

SWINDALL, J.

This is an original proceeding commenced in this court to review an award of the State Industrial Commission. On November 16, 1929, the respondent Benjamin E. Stephens filed his claim with the State Industrial Commission wherein he stated that on September 26, 1929, he was injured when the car in which he was riding was struck by another ear about seven miles north of Randlett in Cotton county, Okla. He states that his occupation was “traveling and counter salesman.” The petitioners herein, on November 6, 1929, filed an answer to the employee’s claim and a plea to the jurisdiction of the Commission, wherein it was alleged that the employee, who is the same person as the respondent Benjamin E. Stephens, was not engaged in an occupation covered by and within the terms of the Workmen’s Compensation Law, nor was the employer, Motor Equipment Company, and one of the petitioners herein, engaged in such an occupation as would come within the terms of the Workmen’s Compensation Act. It was denied that the accident arose out of and in the course of the employment.

A hearing was held by the State Industrial Commission on November 16, 1929, and on December 14, 1929, the State Industrial Commission made an order, which, omitting caption, is as follows, to wit:

“Now on this 14th day of December, 1929, the State Industrial Commission being regularly in session, this cause comes on for consideration pursuant to hearing had before inspector H. O. Matchett at Lawton, Okla., on November 16, 1929, to determine liability and extent of disability, at which hearing claimant appeared in person and by his attorney, J. H. Klein, and respondent and insurance carrier were represented by their attorney, O. B. Pierce, and the Commission after examining all the testimony in said cause, all reports on file, and being otherwise well and sufficiently advised in the premises, finds:

“(1) That on the 26th day of September,, 19-29, respondent, Motor Equipment Company, was engaged in a hazardous occupation covered by and subject to the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Law as pro- *157 Tided in article 1, section 7283, to wit, workshops where machinery is used, and ■other manual and mechanical labor incident ■to such hazardous industry.

“(2) That in the course of his employment it was the duty of the claimant to sell, install, regulate and repair heavy equipment, such as hydraulic lifts, large air compressors, lathes, electrical generators, dynamos, etc., in respondent’s trade territory, and that on the 26th day of September, 1929,, claimant had been negotiating with respondent’s regular dealers, customers and prospective dealers to sell equipment and in the event his negotiations were successful and a sale cohsummated, thereupon it became duty of the claimant to install said equipment. While returning from said place of employment to respondent’s principal place of business in Dawton, Okla., claimant sustained an accidental injury while in the course of his employment by reason of an automobile accident in the course of travel.

“(3) That as a result of said accident claimant has been, since the 26th day of September, 1929,. and is now, totally permanently disabled.

“(4) That the respondent had proper notice of said accident, and the employee filed his claim for compensation with the Commission within the statutory period.

“ (5) That claimaht’s average wage at the time of his injury was $125 per month with expenses.

“The Commission is of the opinion; By reason of the aforesaid facts, that claimant is entitled to compensation under the law at the rate of $18 per week computed from the 26th day of September, 1929, less the five days waiting period for a period not to exceed 500 weeks for total permanent disability.

“It is therefore ordered: That within ten days from this date the respondent, Motor Equipment Company, or its insurance carrier, Continental Casualty Company, pay to claimant, Benjamin F. Stephens, any compensation remaining due to December 14, 1929, and that compensation be paid hereafter in weekly or semi-monthly payments ¡until the full award not exceeding 500 weeks have accrued, amounting to $9,000 in full, final and complete settlement for total permanent disability by reason of aforementioned accidental injury.

“It is further ordered; That within 30 ■days from this date said respondent, Motor Equipment Company, or its insurance ear-Tier, Continental Casualty Company, shall Hie with this Commission proper receipt or •other reports evidencing their compliance with the terms ofi this order.”

In due time petitioners filed their petition to review the award of the Industrial Commission, wherein they made the following assignments of error:

“(1) That the State Industrial Commission was without jurisdiction to make said order and award.

“(2) That the finding and conclusion of the State Industrial Commission that the petitioner, Motor Equipment Company, was engaged in an occupation covered by and subject to the terms of the Workmen’s Compensation Act is not supported by any evidence and is contrary to law.

“(3) That the findings of fact do not support the order.

“(4) The employee, Benjamin F. Stephens, was not engaged in manual and mechanical labor within the meaning of the Workmen’s Compensation Act, and for that reason the State Industrial Commission was without authority of law to make the order complained of.

“(5) That the accident did not arise out of the employment of Stephens by the Motor Equipment Company.

“(6) That incompetent evidence was admitted by and considered by the Industrial Commission over the objection and exception of your petitioner. That the State In-Industrial Commission refused to consider relevant, competent and material evidence, offered by your petitioners, to which action of the State Industrial Commission the petitioners then and there duly excepted.

“(7) That said order is contrary to law.”

The petitioners have submitted this case upon three propositions:

(1) “An employee acting in the capacity of a traveling salesman is not engaged in manual and mechanical labor within the meaning of the subdivisions one and four of section 7284, C. O. S. 1921, and if injured in the course of his duties as a salesman is not entitled to compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Act.

(2) “An employer engaged in a business of operating a store selling tools and machinery which were purchased by garages, filling stations, paint shops and the like for their own use is not engaged in a business covered by and subject to the terms of the Workmen’s Compehsation Act.

(3) “To be a compensable injury, under the Workmen’s Compensation Daw, such injury must result from an accident arising out of and in the course of the employment. The existence of both of these prerequisites is essential.”

The evidence offered upon the hearing of this cause before the Industrial Commission shows that the respondent Benjamin F. Stephens, at the time he received the acci *158 dental injury» complained of, was a married man 22 years of age and had no children.

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Bluebook (online)
1930 OK 448, 292 P. 68, 145 Okla. 156, 1930 Okla. LEXIS 190, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/motor-equipment-co-v-stephens-okla-1930.