Salome v. Eidal Manufacturing Company

404 P.2d 308, 75 N.M. 354
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 19, 1965
Docket7651
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 404 P.2d 308 (Salome v. Eidal Manufacturing Company) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Salome v. Eidal Manufacturing Company, 404 P.2d 308, 75 N.M. 354 (N.M. 1965).

Opinions

COMPTON, Justice.

The defendants appeal from a judgment awarding workmen’s compensation benefits for partial permanent disability of the body as a whole, allegedly resulting from an injury to a scheduled member, in this instance, the plaintiff’s right foot.

The pertinent findings read:

“1. Plaintiff suffered an accidental injury arising out of and in the course of his employment on November 21, 1962 when a trailer hitch fell on his right foot.”
“4. That from the time of his injury through the date of trial, Plaintiff received weekly medical treatments and has not yet been discharged by his physician.”
“9. Plaintiff has suffered partial permanent disability to his body as a whole in the amoiuit of 35%, from the accidental injury.”

The appellants do not question findings 1 and 4, but do complain of finding number 9. It is their contention that any award should have been limited to an injury to a scheduled member, the “right great toe with the metatarsal bone thereof” as provided by § 59-10-18.4(33), 1953 Comp.

It is well established that the scheduled injury section is exclusive unless there is evidence of separate and distinct impairment to other parts of the body in addition to the disability resulting from the injury to a scheduled member. Boggs v. D & L Construction Company, 71 N.M. 502, 379 P.2d 788. But the converse of the rule is noted. When the effects of an injury to a scheduled member extend to and impair other parts of the body, compensation is not limited to that provided by statute for loss of the scheduled member or the loss of use thereof. Gonzales v. Gackle Drilling Company, 70 N.M. 131, 371 P.2d 605. Also see 2 Larson’s Workmen’s Compensation Law, § 58.20, and we quote in part therefrom :

“The great majority of modern decisions agree that, if the effects of the loss of the member extend to other parts of the body and interfere with their efficiency, the schedule allowance for the lost member is not exclusive.
A common example of this kind of decision is that in which an amputation of a leg causes pain shooting into the rest of the body, general debility, stiffening of the hip socket, or other extended effects resulting in greater interference with ability to work than would be expected from a simple and uncomplicated loss of the leg.”

Consequently, we review the record to determine whether there is evidence of a substantial nature of bodily impairment and disability beyond that due to the loss, or loss of use of the scheduled member. In our review this court must construe the findings of the court liberally so as to support the judgment. Plains White Truck Company v. Steele, 75 N.M. 1, 399 P.2d 642.

Appellee was of the age of 59 years when he sustained the injury and had worked for the appellant, Eidal Manufacturing Company, for some 17 years, part time as a foreman and later as an assembler. The latter work required the lifting of heavy objects, in some instances as much as 200 pounds. On November 21, 1962, a jack supporting a trailer weighing some 4 or 5 tons slipped, causing the trailer hitch to fall onto appellee’s right foot, about the middle. The right foot was badly broken. He was taken first to Dr. Minear who X-rayed the foot, found it broken and placed it in a cast. Later the foot was treated by Dr. Haas for a considerable period of time. In January, 1963, he returned to work but the employer had him to do only light work, and in March, 1963, his employment was terminated. Thereafter, he was never able to do heavy work due to continuous pain in his foot, legs, right side and in his back. When he walks, due to pain, he tilts the weight of his body off the first metatarsus, causing the foot to turn inward, which is not normal. At times he has to walk on his heel or heel and toes and has developed a definite limp. Since March, 1963, he has assisted his wife and children in operating a small store at 112 Girard, N. E. in Albuquerque, but is able to do only light work. Also he is unable to drive an automobile for any length of time because of leg and back pains.

Dr. Sidney Schultz, a physician and orthopedic surgeon, treated appellee previously in 1957 for a like injury to his left foot. He saw him later in June, 1963. At that time he examined, took X-rays of appellee’s right foot, and obtained a history of the case. In answers to the following questions propounded with respect to appellee’s latter injury and disability, the doctor stated :

“Q. Now, doctor, has this injury affected plaintiff’s ability to walk ?
A. Yes.
Q. In what manner has this injury affected plaintiff’s body?
A. In the sense that his abnormal weight bearing, that is his bearing weight on the outer side of his foot, by altering his gait and shifting his mechanics could cause him some back pain and the patient does complain of pain going up to his back.
Q. What is the condition of his foot at the present time ?
A. The condition of the foot is such that I beliéve this man has pain in the foot on prolonged standing, that he would have pain on walking on uneven ground and even prolonged walking on even surface because he doesn’t bear his weight normally on the foot but tilts the weight off the first metatarsus.
Q. You stated, doctor; there was a shortening in the metatarsus?
A. This shortening is present on both sides. This is normal for him but with this fracture and angulation it has shortened a short bit more.
Q. Does this have any effect on the ability to walk?
A. I think the deformity of the bone itself, plus the fact he has a fracture line entering the joint causes pain. Therefore, he is protecting it. He is balancing his weight on the outside.
Q. This causes the foot to roll inward ?
A. No, it causes the foot to turn inward, what we call inversion, so that he picks the inner side of his foot off the and rolls the outer side toward the floor, so that he is bearing most of his weight toward the small side of the foot. This is not normal. We bear most of our weight on the big toe side of the foot at the head of the first metatarsus.
Q. When. Mr. Salome was on the stand this.morning, he testified he had pain in the left knee, can you account for this?
A. Just on the basis of abnormal stress and strain on his knee, perhaps all that and even up to his back, if he walks prolonged periods, with this foot held in that position.
O. . Is a' foot appliance needed for this man at this time?

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Aragon v. Mountain States Construction Co.
647 P.2d 427 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1982)
American Tank & Steel Corp. v. Thompson
90 N.W. 513 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1977)
Witcher v. Capitan Drilling Company
503 P.2d 652 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1972)
Montoya v. Sanchez
446 P.2d 212 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1968)
Yanez v. Skousen Construction Company
438 P.2d 166 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1968)
Baker v. Shufflebarger & Associates, Inc.
436 P.2d 502 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1968)
Webb v. Hamilton
436 P.2d 507 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1968)
Casados v. Montgomery Ward & Co.
432 P.2d 103 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1967)
Jensen v. United Perlite Corporation
1966 NMSC 111 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1966)
Salome v. Eidal Manufacturing Company
404 P.2d 308 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1965)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
404 P.2d 308, 75 N.M. 354, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/salome-v-eidal-manufacturing-company-nm-1965.