State ex rel. Depalo v. Industrial Commission

128 Ohio St. (N.S.) 410
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedJune 13, 1934
DocketNo. 24656
StatusPublished

This text of 128 Ohio St. (N.S.) 410 (State ex rel. Depalo v. Industrial Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State ex rel. Depalo v. Industrial Commission, 128 Ohio St. (N.S.) 410 (Ohio 1934).

Opinion

Wilkin, J.

The question is: Do the facts stated in the petition entitle the relator to a rehearing? In other words, are the findings and decisions of the Commission as set forth in the petition such as entitle the relator to an appeal?

The case was presented to this court upon the general assumption that the order of the Commission of June 7, 1933, was a final decision upon jurisdictional grounds, and, since it denied claimant’s right to continue to receive compensation, that it was appealable. Because the “Application for Rehearing” was not filed within the required time, the principal contention was whether the “Application for Modification of Award,” which was filed within time, could be construed as an application for rehearing.

It is apparent that the application for modification of award is in substance and in form just what it was labeled. That it was so considered and treated by all parties is also apparent. And that it would be futile to construe it as anything else becomes apparent when we consider the nature of the Commission’s orders; for neither the decision of June 7, 1933, nor any other decision set forth in the petition, gives the claimant the right to appeal.

A claimant’s right to rehearing as the preliminary step in his appeal to the Common Pleas Court is de[415]*415fined in Section 1465-90, General Code. The first sentence of that section provides:

“The commission shall have full power and authority to hear and determine all questions within its jurisdiction, and its decisions thereon, including the extent of disability and amount of compensation to be paid in each claim, shall be final.”

That all questions raised were within the jurisdiction of the Commission is made manifest by the petition. That the Commission exercised jurisdiction is equally obvious. The Commission found that the applicant had “sustained injury as alleged” and made an award for compensation to cover temporary total disability and for impairment. The Commission determined “the extent of disability” and fixed the “amount of compensation to be paid.” And by express command of the statute “its decisions thereon * * * shall be final.”

There is evidently much confusion as to what constitutes an appealable finding or decision. Relator’s brief says, “This court should settle this question.” And the court concedes that relator suggests a consummation devoutly to be wished. It seems that much of the confusion is due to a failure to emphasize the importance of the first sentence in Section 1465-90, quoted above. That sentence controls all that follows in the statute. It is the key to the solution.

The second sentence of the section provides, in part: “* * * if the commission finds that it has no jurisdiction of the claim and has no authority thereby to inquire into the extent of disability or the amount of compensation, and denies the right of the claimant to receive compensation, or to continue to receive compensation for such reason, then the claimant may. within thirty days after receipt of notice of such finding of the commission, file an application with the commission for a rehearing of his claim,” etc.

Now if the Commission denies the right, of the [416]*416claimant to receive compensation because it has no jurisdiction of the claim and has no authority to inquire into the extent of disability or the amount of compensation, the claimant is entitled to a rehearing. State, ex rel. Randolph, v. Industrial Commission, 128 Ohio St., 27, 190 N. E., 217. Or, if the Commission denies the right of the claimant to continue to receive compensation because it has no jurisdiction of the claim and has no authority to inquire into the extent of disability or the amount of compensation, then again the claimant is entitled to. a rehearing. State, ex rel. Yance, v. Industrial Commission, 125 Ohio St., 447, 181 N. E., 879, 82 A. L. R., 1068. But if the Commission properly assumes jurisdiction, determines the extent of disability, or fixes the amount of compensation, its action is final. The authority so exercised is exclusive under the statute. From such finding or decision there is no appeal, and therefore no right to rehearing.

This court has repeatedly held that the Industrial Commission must in the first instance determine whether it has jurisdiction of a claim, and if this question is resolved in the affirmative its further action is a process of fact finding and its judgment is final. In the exercise of that jurisdiction its function is to determine the extent of the disability and the amount of compensation. There is no appeal from that determination and therefore mandamus does not lie to compel the Commission to grant a rehearing. State, ex rel. Butram, v. Industrial Commission, 124 Ohio St., 589, 180 N. E., 61, and cases cited therein.

The greatest confusion arises however in applying the law to those cases wherein the Commission has taken jurisdiction, and has awarded compensation, and then subsequently makes a finding which denies the right of the claimant to continue to receive compensation. The confusion arises because it is very difficult to determine the reason for the Commis[417]*417sion’s denial of the right to continue to receive compensation. If such denial is made because the Commission has determined the extent of disability, and has awarded compensation to cover such disability, then the action of the Commission is final. But if the denial is made for the reason that the Commission has or had no jurisdiction, and therefore no authority, then the claimant is entitled to an appeal.

Much of the confusion occurs because the finding denying jurisdiction and authority to make an award is, itself denied by the fact that a former award had been made. An analysis of the facts, however, will frequently disclose that the Commission erroneously assumed jurisdiction in the first instance, or that, while the first finding may have been properly made, the subsequent denial of the right to continue to receive compensation may be due to the fact that the claim for further compensation is based upon facts beyond the jurisdiction and authority of the Commission; for example, that the claimant’s condition is not attributable to an industrial accident, or was not the result of the injury sustained, or that the injury which is the basis of the claim for further compensation did not arise in the course of employment, or occurred beyond the jurisdiction of the state under a contract of employment not made in the state. To assume, in every case where some compensation has been awarded, that the jurisdiction and authority has been established, and that the denial of the right to continue to receive compensation is therefore based upon a determination by the Commission of the extent of disability, would be to disregard the express provisions of the statute which says specifically that the claimant shall have a rehearing if the Commission denies the right to continue to receive compensation because the Commission has no jurisdiction of the claim and no authority to inquire into the extent of disability. It seems to be the clear intention of the legis[418]*418lature to grant an appeal from a denial of the right to continue to receive compensation, as well as from a denial of the right to receive any compensation, provided the denial is based upon jurisdictional facts.

The facts of the case are decisive. The issue cannot be determined entirely by the order of the Commission.

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Related

State, Ex Rel. v. Indus. Comm.
181 N.E. 870 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1932)
State, Ex Rel. v. Indus. Comm.
185 N.E. 807 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1933)
State, Ex Rel. v. Indus. Comm.
181 N.E. 874 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1932)
State, Ex Rel. v. Indus. Comm.
190 N.E. 217 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1934)
State, Ex Rel. v. Indus. Comm.
180 N.E. 61 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1932)
Perkins v. Industrial Commission
140 N.E. 134 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1922)
State ex rel. Araca v. Industrial Commission
181 N.E. 870 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1932)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
128 Ohio St. (N.S.) 410, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-depalo-v-industrial-commission-ohio-1934.