Southern Surety Co. v. Taber

1923 OK 21, 212 P. 128, 88 Okla. 103, 1923 Okla. LEXIS 555
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedJanuary 11, 1923
Docket12221
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 1923 OK 21 (Southern Surety Co. v. Taber) 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
Southern Surety Co. v. Taber, 1923 OK 21, 212 P. 128, 88 Okla. 103, 1923 Okla. LEXIS 555 (Okla. 1923).

Opinion

JOHNSON, J.

The petitioners commenced this action in this court to review7 an award of the State Industrial Commission, which is as follows:

“Now on this the 31st day of March, 1921, this cause coming on for consideration upon the testimony taken at a hearing held at Miami, Okla., March 23, 1921, to determine liability and extent of disability, the claimant being represented by Jesse Harp, his attorney, and the respondent and insurance carrier being represented by A. J. Follens, and the commission after examining the testimony taken at said hearing and being otherwise well and sufficiently advised in the premises, finds that the claimant was injured November 26, 1920, and as a result of said injury was disabled until December 31, 1920, and is entitled to compensation computed from November 26, 1920, to December 31, 1920, at the rate of $13.70 per week; or for a period of five weeks, amounting to $68.50.
“It Is Therefore Ordered: That within ten days from the date hereof, the respondent or insurance carried pay to the claimant compensation computed from November 26, 1920, to December 31, 1920, at the rate of $13.70 per week, being for a period of five weeks, and continue said payment until the sum of $68.50 is paid; and also pay all medical expenses incurred by claimant as a result of said injury.”

The petitioners have made six assignments of error in their petition, concerning which they say in their brief as follows:

“The four assignments of error presented in the petition for review go to one proposition and can all be presented thereunder: ‘That the Industrial Commission erred in concluding as a matter of law that the respondent was entitled to compensation when the record discloses that he sustained no accidental injury and that any physical disability suffered or incurred was due to respondent Taber becoming overheated, and arose from overexercise and work, and not from any injury received. * * *’
“We recognize the rule, uniform in this state, that if there is any evidence in the record to sustain the finding of the State Industrial Commission, this court will not review7 it as a Question of fact; but, on the other hand, if there is no evidence upon which the commission could base its order, then the order is reviewable as a question of law. This is the decision of this court in Associated Employers’ Reciprocal et al v. State Industrial Commission et al., 83 Okla. 73, 290 Pac. 862, in the syllabus, as follows: ‘By the provisions of section 10 of the Workmen’s Compensation Law (chapter 14, Session Laws 1919) the decision of the State Industrial Commission is made final as to all questions of fact; but this is so only when there is some evidence to support such decision, and, where there is absolutely no evidence to support such finding and decision, the same may be reviewed as a matter of law.’
“There is no evidence in this record, direct or by reasonable inference, that Mr. Taber’s illness was due to gas. If it was not, then it was simply an illness to which any of us may be subject. The Workmen’s Compensation Act does not attempt to make the employer liable for the illness of his employes, nor does it make the employer the insurer, .of the health of the employe. This court is not justified in extending the operation of the law beyond the limit contemplated by theÉ Legislature as expressed in the act itself.
“We insist that, upon this record, the testimony of the claimant and his physican, there is no evidence to sustain the order of the. commission. We, therefore- 8«k and *105 insist that the cause be reversed and the Industrial Commission directed to dismiss the complaint.”

The foregoing excerpt from the brief of counsel states their contention fully, the propositions relied on for reversal and the applicable authorities in support thereof.

The record discloses that the claimant was an experienced coal miner, having worked in coal mines for about 15 years; and was shoveling coal in the mine at the time the injury complained of occurred, which was about eleven o’clock a. m. on the 25th of November, 1920; that he had been, working very hard shoveling coal into the cans on the day of the alleged injury; and in his testimony describing his injury in response to a question, he stated:

“A. "Was down in the Black-Hawk Lead and Zinc Company mine, and when I went to push out last car before noon, I discovered I could not get back, something wrong, and I fell when I reached up for my coat and shirt, I began to sink clown again and the mule skinner and someone of the shovel-ers spoke to me. They carried me out and called the doctor and took me to the hospital, and I judge it was four hours before I could speak. Then I come home, and I am not able to work yet; my heart bothers me and my head and stomach. Dr. Phillips waited on me, and he said I was gassed.”

He testified on cross-examination by Mr. Pollens as follows:

“Q. You worked all morning? A. No. Q. This accident was about noon? A. Yes. •Q. And you had worked all morning and had not suffered any disability? A. No, sir. Q. You worked there in the same place? A. Yes. Q. Just at noon, when you quit, you suddenly collapsed? A. I was supposed not to work any later. Q. You had not had any injury or any accident? A. Just like I told you. Just like I said. Q. Had you had any trouble like that before? A. No, sir. Worked in the mines 15 years. By the Court: Q. Did you lose any time from work prior to the accident? A. No. ma’am. Q. Was there anyone working with you at the time of this injury? A. No one right with me. Q. Did you notice any fumes? A. No, it just seemed close. No, never that I thought anything.”

The general manager of the mine, G. N. Williams, testified as follows:

“By the Court: Q. Where do you live? A. Miami. Q. You are connected with the Black-Hawk Lead and Zinc Co.? A. General manager. Q. Do you know anything of this injury? A. I was sitting in the office and saw a man being carried by two or three of the men. and I thought they were just playing, and in a few minutes the man let loose of the shoveler. I thought he was paralyzed; he did not look like a man who was gassed to me. They ,put him in a car and took him over to the hospital. By Mir. Pollens: Q. You made an investigation as to the foul air? A. I asked at the office how the air was, and he said— Q. If there had been foul air in the mine about the place where Mr. Taber was working, could it have been possible for him to have worked two and a half or three hours and not be overcome? A. Sometimes one could work and not feel any of this poor and smoky air, but they will later. Q. Thisfis aio.t poor': and smoky? A. There are two different kinds. Wfe have been having good air there, and during that hot weather we had bad air, and several men were sick for two or three days. Q. Any one else overcome? A. No. By the Court: Q. Were you down, in the mine at the time of this alleged injury? A. No. Q. Then you really do not know? A. No. Q. It is your duty to make investigation? A. Yes. My ground foreman had been down that day, and he said the air was all right.” ,

The claimant’s verified claim, contained the following deposition:

“Q. How long have you worked at ' this occupation? A.

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Bluebook (online)
1923 OK 21, 212 P. 128, 88 Okla. 103, 1923 Okla. LEXIS 555, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/southern-surety-co-v-taber-okla-1923.