Printz v. State Compensation Department

453 P.2d 665, 253 Or. 148, 1969 Ore. LEXIS 438
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedApril 23, 1969
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 453 P.2d 665 (Printz v. State Compensation Department) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Printz v. State Compensation Department, 453 P.2d 665, 253 Or. 148, 1969 Ore. LEXIS 438 (Or. 1969).

Opinion

HAMMOND, J.

(Pro Tempore).

This is an appeal from the judgment of the circuit court reversing the order of the Workmen’s Compensation Board, which denied the claim of Irene L. Printz as surviving widow of Carl A. Printz, a crane operator for the City of Portland, Commission of Public Docks, who collapsed and died August 29, 1966, while operating a crane at Terminal No. 4. Cause of death was reported to have been coronary thrombosis.

[150]*150Shortly after Mr. Printz’s death his employer reported the fact to the State Compensation Department on its form entitled “Workman’s Report of Occupational Injury or Disease.” The report was signed by an officer of the Commission of Public Docks and contained pertinent information regarding the decedent, his employment and his death. The top portion of the report is labeled “Workman’s Notice to Employer” and such portion was partially completed by the employer; however, the spaces labeled “How were you injured or exposed to disease?” and “Workman’s Signature” were left blank. Neither this claimant nor any other representative of the decedent was consulted or notified regarding the filing of the report.

On November 2, 1966, the State Compensation Department directed to City of Portland, Commission of Public Docks, an “Order” which recites:

“The State Compensation Department having received notice that Carl A. Printz died on August 29,1966, while employed by City of Portland, Commission of Public Docks,
“the Department finds that no death benefits are payable as there is mo reasonable medical connection between the death of the deceased, and the activity described as having occurred on August 29, 1966.
“NOTICE TO CLAIMANT: If you are dissatisfied with this denial of your claim for compensation you may request a hearing by the Workmen’s Compensation Board. The request for hearing must be a signed writing with return address filed with the Workmen’s Comepsnation [sic] Board within 60 days from the date this notice was mailed. .Failure to file request for a hearing [151]*151within this time limit will result in the loss of your right to object to this denial.
U# * *
Witnesseth: Official Seal
“ce: Irene L. Printz
Workmen’s Compensation Board Portland Office — SCD”

The department contends that the “Order” demonstrates on its face that a copy thereof was in fact sent to the claimant by virtue of the notation “cc: Irene L. Printz.” No hearing preceded the issuance of the document and there is no record that the claimant had knowledge of any reports to or proceeding in the State Compensation Department. She denies any recollection of receiving a copy of the “Order.”

On March 7, 1967, the claimant executed a “Claim for Compensation — Fatality” and filed the same with the department. One week later the department mailed to claimant its “Notice of Denial,” which notice stated:

“The Department finds that the claim is not compensable under the Workmen’s Compensation Law for the following reasons:
“There is no evidence that Carl A. Printz’s death arose out of or in the course of employment,
“and without waiving other questions of compensability the claim is hereby denied.

The notice further advised claimant that if she was dissatisfied with the denial of her claim she might, within 60 days, request a hearing by the Workmen’s Compensation Board upon the matter. On April 20, .1967, claimant gave to the board her request for a hearing upon the rejection of her claim. Pursuant to such request a hearing was held before a hearing officer of the Workmen’s Compensation Board upon this [152]*152sole issue: Was the claimant’s request for a hearing filed within the time required by the statutes, and, if not, does the department have jurisdiction to proceed further with the claim?

The only evidence received at the hearing was the testimony of Mrs. Printz that she did not recall receiving a copy of the department’s Order of November 2, 1966, copies of the documents making up the department’s file on the matter, and the sworn testimony of the attorneys for the parties, each of whom expressed opinions regarding the regularity of the employer’s notice to the department, and the questioned Order which followed such notice.

The hearing officer found that the report of occupational injury filed by the employer following the death of Mr. Printz was not a claim for compensation; that the department’s Order of November 2, 1966 did not constitute a valid Notice of Denial of a claim ; that claimant’s “Claim for Compensation — Fatality” executed March 7, 1967 constituted the only claim for compensation resulting from the death of Printz and that claimant’s request for hearing was a timely appeal from the Notice of Denial mailed by the department March 15, 1967. The hearing officer ordered that the matter be set for a hearing on the issue of compensability.

The department then requested a review by the Workmen’s Compensation Board of the Order of the hearing officer. Upon such review the board reversed the decision of the hearing officer and affirmed the denial of the claim by the State Compensation Department. In doing so, the board found (1) that the denial of claim entered by the department’s Order of November 2, 1966 was valid; (2) that the claimant failed to request a hearing on the denial within 60 days from [153]*153the mailing of the same; and (3) that claimant’s rights were thereby lost and that her claim of March 7, 1967 did not revive the claim.

Claimant appealed to the circuit court which entered the judgment which forms the basis of this appeal. The trial court found (1) that neither the original or a copy of the department’s Notice of Denial of November 2, 1966 was mailed to or received by Mrs. Printz; (2) that the said Order of November 2, 1966 is a nullity; (3) that claimant’s request for hearing was a timely appeal, from the Notice of Denial mailed by the department March 15, 1967; and (4) that claimant’s attorneys are entitled to attorney fees in the sum of $1,500. Judgment was entered in accordance with such finding and the claim was remanded to the Workmen’s Compensation Board for a hearing as to the compensability of the claim for widow’s benefits.

It is not necessary for the purpose of this decision to determine whether the notice furnished in the first instance by the employer to the department was the appropriate method of initiating proceedings before the department with reference to the death of Printz while in the course of his employment. We do decide, however, that such notice was not a “claim” within the meaning of ORS, eh 656, for a claim is defined in ORS 656.002 (5) as follows:

“ ‘Claim’ means a written request for compensation from a subject workman or someone on his behalf, or any compensable injury of which a subject employer has notice or knowledge.”

There was no “written request for compensation” made by anyone. The employer did not even fill in blanks provided to show whether Printz was married [154]*154or the name of his wife.

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Related

Peterson v. State Compensation Department
477 P.2d 216 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1970)
Peterson v. State Compensation Department
467 P.2d 976 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1970)

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Bluebook (online)
453 P.2d 665, 253 Or. 148, 1969 Ore. LEXIS 438, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/printz-v-state-compensation-department-or-1969.