Sanders v. Fischer Construction Company

1964 OK 245, 397 P.2d 144, 1964 Okla. LEXIS 463
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedNovember 17, 1964
Docket40555
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 1964 OK 245 (Sanders v. Fischer Construction Company) 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
Sanders v. Fischer Construction Company, 1964 OK 245, 397 P.2d 144, 1964 Okla. LEXIS 463 (Okla. 1964).

Opinion

JACKSON, Justice.

This is an original proceeding brought by Henry J. Sanders, claimant, to review an order denying him an award. On April 24, 1962, claimant filed his first notice of injury and claim for compensation with the State Industrial Court stating that on March 25, 1962, he sustained an accidental injury arising out of and in the course of his employment with Fischer Construction Company when he had a car wreck. Respondent and its insurance carrier filed an answer denying that claimant was injured while in the employment of respondent but was injured while engaged in his personal business wholly unconnected with his duties for respondent. The trial judge denied claimant an award. His order in part is as follows:

“That claimant’s injury did not arise out of and in the course of his employ *146 ment with the respondent, and claimant’s claim should therefore be denied.
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that claimant’s claim be denied.”

Claimant appealed to the Industrial Court sitting en banc and at the time of his appeal filed a motion to reopen the cause on the ground of newly discovered evidence. The trial judge’s order was affirmed.

Claimant’s position is "that the State Industrial Coitrt erred in denying an award since there was competent evidence reasonably tending to establish that claimant suffered an accidental personal injury arising out of and in the course of his employment. Further, that the court’s refusal to vacate the order of August 6, 1962, and allow claimant to present newly discovered evidence relevant to his claim for compensation constituted an abuse of discretion which was prejudicial to claimant.”

The record discloses that respondent, Fischer Construction Company, was in March 1962 engaged in a road paving project at Wewoka, Oklahoma.

Claimant testified that he lived in Seminole, Oklahoma; that in March 1962, he was employed by respondent as a truck mechanic, a truck foreman; that his duties were to “keep up the trucks and make sure they were ready to go at all times; ” that his duties called for him to work on Saturdays and Sundays and that he was subject to call at all times; that he had five truck drivers under his supervision and that he had a right to hire and fire truck drivers; that he drove from his home in Seminole to the work site at Wewoka in his personal car; that respondent furnished him gas and oil; that on March 25, 1962, which was a Sunday, he was on his way from his home to Wewoka to check the trucks when he had a car wreck; that he suffered numerous injuries; that he had a few spare parts for the trucks along with cards and time book in his car at the time of the accident; that he didn’t say anything to respondent about compensation or medical treatment.

Wallace Sanders testified for claimant. He stated he was claimant’s father; that he was hired by respondent as a mechanic, head mechanic; that respondent furnished him a pickup truck, that he carried respondent’s tools and equipment in the truck; that when he drove his individual car respondent furnished gas and oil; that he was fired by respondent for being drunk on the job; that he too had a claim pending against respondent for a broken finger.

The facts above stated are a brief summary of claimant’s evidence.

Bill Whitnah testified for respondent. He testified he was a superintendent for respondent; that he had hired claimant as a mechanic for respondent; that claimant was not hired as a truck foreman; that respondent did not have a truck foreman; that claimant did not have any control or supervision over the drivers; that Ray Scott supervised and controlled the truck drivers; that Scott was plant foreman; that claimant did not have authority to hire and fire drivers; that claimant worked 40 hours a week, and if he worked any excess hours he had to get permission from Ray Scott; that respondent did not require claimant .to come to the job on days that respondent did not work; that he had had two conversations with claimant since the accident; that claimant did not ask for compensation or medical payments; that claimant did not tell him he was hurt on the job; that respondent did not furnish gas and oil for private vehicles; that if claimant got gas and oil, he took the same without authority; that respondent didn’t have time sheets on the job but that the bookkeeper, and not claimant, “made out” the time for the workers; that as far as he knew claimant did not have any books or parts in his car at the time of the accident; that nobody worked on the job on Sundays except the night watchman.

Ray Scott testified for respondent. He stated he was the plant foreman; that claimant was a mechanic for respondent; that there was no truck foreman on the job; that claimant worked under his, the *147 witness’ direct supervision and control; that he was the one who told claimant when to come to work and when not to; that he, the witness, controlled the trucks; that if claimant wanted to work on Sunday he would have to clear with witness; that claimant did not work on March 25, 1962; that witness kept the time for the drivers and that witness did the hiring himself of the drivers; that claimant had no authority to hire or fire truckers; that claimant was not furnished any oil and gas in his private car to go to and from Seminole to the job site; that to his knowledge claimant did not have any of respondent’s tools in his car at the time of the accident; that claimant never requested compensation or medical treatment from him; that claimant never at any time indicated he had the accident in the course of his employment for respondent.

Gene Hart testified for respondent. He stated that he was respondent’s field clerk and time keeper; that he kept the time records for all the employees; that claimant was employed as a truck mechanic; that claimant was not a truck foreman; that claimant did not work on March 25, 1962; that he first learned about the accident when Wallace Sanders, claimant’s father, told him; that the father did not indicate that his son, the claimant, was hurt on the job; that he, the witness, saw claimant at claimant’s home a few days after the accident and that claimant did not say anything to him about being hurt on the job nor did he ask him to furnish medical treatment or pay compensation; that claimant did have a time book and that claimant turned the truck drivers’ time in to him and he in turn made out the time cards.

This is a brief summary of the respondents’ evidence.

The testimony is irreconcilably in conflict.

The State Industrial Court has the power to weigh the evidence and pass upon the credibility of witnesses appearing before it. It is also at liberty to refuse credence to any portion of the testimony deemed unworthy of belief and is not compelled to accord credence to the greater amount of evidence as against the lesser. Rush Implement Co. v. Vaughan, Okl., 386 P.2d 177; Hackley v. Dalles Nursing Home, Okl., 372 P.2d 586. It is not restricted or confined to the proof elicited by the claimant but may consider the record in its totality. Hill v. Culligan Soft Water Service Co., Okl., 386 P.2d 1018; Black, Sivalls & Bryson, Inc. v. Story, Okl., 378 P.2d 764.

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

Related

Pearl v. Associated Milk Producers, Inc.
1978 OK 105 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1978)
Griffin v. Flint Steel Corporation
1965 OK 122 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1965)
Bossert v. Pittsburg Plate Glass Company
1965 OK 119 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1965)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1964 OK 245, 397 P.2d 144, 1964 Okla. LEXIS 463, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sanders-v-fischer-construction-company-okla-1964.