Pinson Ex Rel. Pinson v. Minidoka Highway District

106 P.2d 1020, 61 Idaho 731, 1940 Ida. LEXIS 58
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 29, 1940
DocketNo. 6829.
StatusPublished
Cited by62 cases

This text of 106 P.2d 1020 (Pinson Ex Rel. Pinson v. Minidoka Highway District) 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
Pinson Ex Rel. Pinson v. Minidoka Highway District, 106 P.2d 1020, 61 Idaho 731, 1940 Ida. LEXIS 58 (Idaho 1940).

Opinion

*734 BUDGE, J.

In January, 1940, the Minidoka Highway District desired to and did thereafter improve a certain highway within its boundaries under the direction and supervision of G. W. Jones its engineer engaged for that work. The district did not have the necessary machinery for the removal of rock and through its attorney solicited the United States Reclamation Service to furnish an air compressor and operator and two jack-hammers or drills. The reclamation service, with the knowledge of the highway district, furnished an air compressor and operator and two jack-hammers with operators, of whom Pinson, the deceased, was one. The men were engaged by the reclamation service on January 4th for the specific purpose of working on the highway and were told that Jones, the engineer in charge, would tell them what to do. The work was not that of the United States. The men were hired by the reclamation service, paid by the United States and directed to work under the order of the highway engineer.

Mr. Pinson, a man sixty years of age and weighing about 150 pounds, began to work on the highway pursuant to the arrangement above outlined, on January 5th and continued to January 13th, operating a jack-hammer, a machine weighing 65 pounds and operated by a rotating and pounding motion accompanied by violent jerkings and vibrations. On January 13th, the drill the deceased Pinson was operating caught or became stuck in the materials through which it had been driven and he attempted to remove the drill by his own strength and efforts but was unable to do so. A coworker observing his difficulty went to his aid and the two removed the drill. Soon and within ten minutes from the time he endeavored to remove the drill it appeared to the *735 other occupants of the automobile in which the workers were then riding to another point where work was to be continued that Pinson’s sight ivas failing and there was some discussion with him about it. He complained of severe headache and requested another occupant of the car to drive. When they reached the place where they were to continue work Pinson did not leave the automobile and a short time later one of the Avorkmen returned to the car and found Pinson very sick. Jones, the engineer, directed two men to take Pinson home, one to drive his car and the other to follow in another car to return the men to the job. On reaching home Pinson vomited tAvo or more times and was assisted into the house by Mrs. Pinson. He said he was dreadfully sick, complained of pain over his right eye, could not walk alone or see distinctly and wanted aspirin.

Dr. Elmore was called and found Pinson complaining of severe pain in his head and observed he had difficulty in seeing and in talking and did not have use of his left arm and leg. Pinson told the doctor of the trouble he had in removing the drill. It was the positive conclusion of the attending and a consulting physician that the exertion in his efforts to remove the drill increased the blood pressure in his circulatory system beyond the ability of some blood vessel in his brain to Avithstand and a rupture resulted, causing paralysis. Later internal infection developed from the rupture causing meningitis from which Pinson died on January 25, 1940, the physician testifying that the primary cause of death was the ruptured blood vessel. Appellants offered no testimony.

From an award by the Industrial Accident Board to Grace L. Pinson, as widow, and to Susan Pinson, as dependent mother, of James Earl Pinson, by reason of his death from injuries alleged to have been received by him, by an accident arising out of and in the course of his employment by the Minidoka Highway District, the Minidoka Highway District, employer, and the State Insurance Fund, surety, appeal.

Appellants advance the contention that the deceased was not an “employee” of the appellant, highway district. Appellants assert that because deceased was hired and paid by the United States, and that the federal statute (5 U. S. C. A. 751) provides “The United States shall pay compensation *736 .... for the death of an employee resulting from a personal injury sustained while in the performance of his duty. . ... ” (emphasis inserted), that the deceased was not an “employee” of the highway district and respondent is, therefore, not entitled to prevail in this proceeding.

In Larson v. Independent School Dist. No. 11J, 53 Ida. 49, 22 Pac. (2d) 299, this court held:

“The definition of an employee or workman at common latv is applicable in determining who is an employee or workman under Workmen’s Compensation Acts, (cases)”

From the record it appears that while deceased was engaged by the reclamation service and paid by the United States, he was engaged with his own consent and knowledge, not to work for the United States or the reclamation service, but for the purpose of doing work for the Minidoka Highway District, and directed by the reclamation service to work for the highway district and under the direction of its engineer. Neither the United States nor any of its officers or agents had any control of any character over the deceased while at work or over the work being done by the Minidoka Highway District. The alleged injury occurred while Pinson was working under the direction of the highway engineer on the project of the highway district.

In Standard Oil Co. v. Anderson, 212 U. S. 215, 29 Sup. Ct. 252, 254, 53 L. ed. 480, the rule by which to determine whether a person is an employer is stated as follows:

“It sometimes happens that one wishes a certain work to be done for his benefit, and neither has persons in his employ who can do it nor is willing to take such persons into his general service. He may then enter into an agreement with another. If the other furnishes him with men to do the work, and places them under his exclusive control in the performance of it, those men become pro hac vice the servants of him to whom they are furnished.....To determine whether a given case falls within the one class or the other we must inquire whose is the work being performed — a question which is usually answered by ascertaining who has the power to control and direct the servants in the performance of their work.”

*737 While the authorities are not without conflict, there is a well-established rule to the effect that the question of the identity of the person who pays compensation is not controlling, and is not a circumstance which is decisive or determinative of the question whether a person to whom an employee is lent becomes his employer. (71 C. J., pp. 407, 408; Altherhold v. William Stoddart Co., 286 Pa. 278, 133 Atl. 504; Sgattone v. Mulholland & Gotwals, 290 Pa. 341, 138 Atl. 855, 58 A. L. R. 1463; Allen-Garcia Co. v. Industrial Com., 334 Ill. 390, 166 N. E. 78; Klemmens v. North Dakota Workmen’s Compensation Bureau, 54 N. D. 496, 209 N. W. 972.) The general test is the right

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Bluebook (online)
106 P.2d 1020, 61 Idaho 731, 1940 Ida. LEXIS 58, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pinson-ex-rel-pinson-v-minidoka-highway-district-idaho-1940.