Sadler v. Weyerhaeuser Co.

CourtNorth Carolina Industrial Commission
DecidedFebruary 3, 2003
DocketI.C. NO. 834916
StatusPublished

This text of Sadler v. Weyerhaeuser Co. (Sadler v. Weyerhaeuser Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Carolina Industrial Commission primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sadler v. Weyerhaeuser Co., (N.C. Super. Ct. 2003).

Opinions

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The Full Commission has reviewed the prior Opinion and Award based upon the record of the proceedings before former Deputy Commissioner Hedrick and the briefs and oral arguments before the Full Commission. The appealing party has shown good ground to reconsider the evidence; receive further evidence; rehear the parties or their representatives; or amend the Opinion and Award, except for minor modifications. Accordingly, the Full Commission affirms the Opinion and Award of former Deputy Commissioner Hedrick, with modifications.

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The Full Commission finds as fact and concludes as matters of law the following, which were entered by the parties as:

STIPULATIONS
1. The Industrial Commission has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this case, the parties are properly before the Commission, and the parties were subject to and bound by the provisions of the North Carolina Worker's Compensation Act at all relevant times.

2. The defendant was a duly qualified self insured.

3. An employee-employer relationship existed between the parties at all relevant times. The plaintiff was employed by defendant at its facility in Plymouth, North Carolina, from October 21, 1961.

4. Plaintiff was last injuriously exposed to asbestos during the plaintiffs employment with defendant, Weyerhaeuser Company, and specifically, that the plaintiff was exposed to asbestos for thirty (30) days within a seven month period, as set out in N.C. Gen. Statute §97-57.

5. Defendant has stipulated that plaintiff does suffer from an occupational disease, asbestosis, and further that he was diagnosed with asbestosis on May 8, 1997, by Dr. Darcey., The defendant further agrees that a member of the North Carolina Occupational Disease Panel confirmed this diagnosis and that these medical records are stipulated into evidence for consideration by the Industrial Commission.

6. Plaintiff's income during the fifty-two (52) weeks prior to his diagnosis on May 8, 1997, was $49,349.00, which is sufficient to produce the maximum compensation rate for 1997, $512.00. By separate stipulation by counsel for both parties on August 13, 2002. it is stipulated that plaintiffs wages were sufficient to earn the maximum compensation benefits available under the North Carolina Workers' Compensation Act in the year 2000, which was $588.00.

7. Plaintiff contends that he is entitled to an award of a 10% penalty pursuant to the provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 97-12, and the defendant stipulated that should the claim be found compensable, the defendant would agree by compromise to pay an amount of 5% of all compensation, exclusive of medical compensation, as an award of penalty pursuant thereto.

8. The parties agreed further that should plaintiff be awarded compensation, the Commission may by order remove the plaintiff from further exposure pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 97-62-5(b).

9. The parties further agreed that should the Commission determine N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 97-60 through 97-61.7 to be unconstitutional, additional testimony could be offered by the parties on the issues of loss of wage earning capacity and/or disability.

10. The parties agreed that the only contested issues for determination are:

A. Does N.C. Gen. Stat. § 97-60 through § 97-61.7 apply to plaintiff's claim for benefits, and regardless, are these statutes in violation of the Constitutions of the United States and North Carolina?

B. What benefits, monetary and/or medical, is plaintiff entitled to received, if any?

11. The parties submitted for consideration by the Commission the medical records and reports of plaintiff by the following physicians:

a. Dr. Dennis Darcey

b. Dr. Fred M. Dula

c. Dr. James Johnson

d. Dr. Phillip Lucas

e. Dr. Clinton Young

f. Dr. Robert Shaw

g. Dr. Allen Hayes

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Based upon all of the competent evidence of record and reasonable inferences flowing therefrom, the Full Commission makes the following:

FINDINGS OF FACT
1. Plaintiff was employed by defendant, Weyerhaeuser Company, at its facility in Plymouth, North Carolina, from October 20, 1961, until the date of the hearing before the Deputy Commissioner and continuing.

2. Defendant manufactures paper and paper products, including paper for crafts, bags, boxes and pulp for baby diapers. The approximate size of defendant's plant in Plymouth, North Carolina, is 3/4 of a mile long. The entire facility is built on approximately 350 acres and encompasses about 20 different buildings. The newest building was built in the 1960's. Defendant has approximately 1,500 employees at its facility.

3. There are two different types of boilers used at the facility. The first is a recovery boiler that is used to cook the wood pulp. The second type is a steam-producing boiler, which is used for energy and heat. There are a total of 5 paper making machines within the facility. In addition, there are hundreds of miles of steam pipes covered with asbestos insulation. The heat coming off the steam pipes is used to dry the wet pulp/paper. The boxes in which the insulation was stored were labeled as asbestos and much of the asbestos insulation is currently labeled with identifying stickers.

4. Plaintiff has held several different job positions during his 38 years of employment with defendant. In 1961, plaintiff worked "extra board," performing duties as needed throughout the plant. In 1965, he began working in the maintenance department where he has worked as a millwright, welder, and pipe fitter. He currently works in the preventative maintenance department. Throughout his employment, he was exposed to friable asbestos at various places throughout the plant and he inhaled asbestos fibers.

5. Plaintiff was heavily exposed to asbestos in the boiler room because the boilers and pipes were wrapped in friable asbestos insulation. As a welder working with the pipe fitters, plaintiff would use a hammer to knock off the asbestos-containing insulation, which would release dust into the air. He also used asbestos-based gloves and blankets to protect himself from being burnt when welding. While working as a millwright, plaintiff was exposed to asbestos while changing the asbestos-containing brake shoes on the paper machines.

6. Defendant did not provide plaintiff with a respirator to protect him against exposure to friable asbestos. He has suffered from progressive shortness of breath in the last four or five years and has difficulty climbing stairs.

7. Plaintiff was exposed to asbestos-containing materials on a regular basis for more than thirty working days or parts thereof inside of seven consecutive months from 1961 until his case was heard by the Deputy Commissioner.

8. The following medical records confirming the diagnosis of asbestosis were submitted for review of the Industrial Commission by counsel for the parties:

A. The medical report of Dr. Dennis Darcey of the Division of Occupational Environmental Medicine of Duke University dated May 8, 1997. Plaintiff was exposed to asbestos over the course of his employment at Weyerhaeuser from 1961 to 1997 in Plymouth. North Carolina. The plant has five large paper machines and employs over 1,400 workers.

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Bluebook (online)
Sadler v. Weyerhaeuser Co., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sadler-v-weyerhaeuser-co-ncworkcompcom-2003.