Stephens Produce Company v. Stephens

1958 OK 277, 332 P.2d 674, 1958 Okla. LEXIS 465
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedNovember 25, 1958
Docket38088
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 1958 OK 277 (Stephens Produce Company v. Stephens) 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
Stephens Produce Company v. Stephens, 1958 OK 277, 332 P.2d 674, 1958 Okla. LEXIS 465 (Okla. 1958).

Opinion

JOHNSON, Justice.

Eddie Stephens, hereinafter called claimant, filed his first notice of injury and claim for compensation stating that on March 28, 1954, while employed by the Stephens Produce Company, employer, he sustained an accidental injury arising out of and in the course of his employment resulting in hernia. An award was entered, and on a proceeding to review commenced in the Supreme Court thereafter, on stipulation of the parties, this proceeding was dismissed on the 13th day of December, 1955, and a further hearing thereafter conducted before the State Industrial Commission by stipulation following which an award was entered August 15, 1957. On appeal to the Commission en banc the award was sustained, and this proceeding is brought by the employer and its insurance carrier to review the award.

The record discloses that claimant was one of three members of a partnership consisting of himself, his brother and his father operating as Stephens Produce Company at Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Claimant testified that on or about the 15th day of March, 1954, he was .moving sacks of potatoes, each sack weighing approximately one hundred pounds. He placed the sacks on a two-wheel truck. The day before he had moved.a large number of sacks; that he picked up each sack and placed it on the truck and in this manner stacked them from one stack to another; that he was pushing the truck across, toward the stack, on the 15th day of March, .1954, when it hurt him .in the groin, and after he had moved five sacks he was not able to push the truck again. On the 27th day of March he went to the doctor. He had been in pain for several days, but he put off going to the doctor because he thought the pain was caused by cancer. The doctor told him to return, and the following month he was again examined by the doctor who stated claimant had sustained a hernia.

It is first argued there is no competent evidence reasonably tending to support the finding that the claimant sustained an accidental injury arising out of and in the course of his employment.

Dr. B testified for claimant. Pie stated that he examined claimant on March 27, 1954, and found he had sustained a strain in the region of the groin, and a short time thereafter he examined him and found he had sustained a right inguinal hernia. In his testimony he stated:

“But you do state it is your opinion, from the history he gave you, the hernia did develop from the strain of lifting the 100 pound sacks of potatoes?
“Following up our examination showing the hernia developed, and in relation to my findings, I would say yes.”

Under the holdings of this court in City of Kingfisher v. Jenkins, 168 Okl. 624, 33 P.2d 1094; 1800 Restaurant, Inc., v. Gossett, Okl., 287 P.2d 897, and Calhoun Const. Co. v. Sexton, Okl., 288 P.2d 705, there is competent evidence reasonably tending to support the finding that the hernia is the result of an accidental injury arising out of and in the course of the employment.

Petitioners cite Snook v. Daniels’ Estate, Okl., 278 P.2d 819, and Campbell Bakeries *676 v. Baumeister, 160 Okl. 94, 15 P.2d 989. In Snook v. Daniels’ Estate, supra [278 P.2d 820], it is stated:

“In all of these latter cited cases we held in effect that where there is competent evidence that the disability is due to an accidental injury and also competent evidence that the disability did not result from an accidental injury the State Industrial Commission is the sole judge of the weight and sufficiency of the evidence and its determination of that question will not be reviewed by this court.”

In Calhoun Const. Co. v. Sexton, supra [288 P.2d 706], it is stated:

“ * * * If there is evidence of a strain and medical evidence that the strain caused the disability this is sufficient to support a finding that there has been an accidental injury even though the disability discloses its presence at a time not related to a specific physical effort. * * * ”

It is next argued that claimant was a member of the partnership and therefore is not entitled to an award as an employee. Claimant argues this issue was not raised before the State Industrial Commission, and the record substantially supports this claim. However, assuming, without deciding, petitioners having a right to raise the issue, the assertion that claimant was not an employee is without substantial merit.

We have held an employee engaged in hazardous employment is entitled to an award even though he is a partner. Rodgers v. Blair, 201 Okl. 249, 204 P.2d 867; Ardmore Paint & Oil Products Co. v. State Industrial Commission, 109 Okl. 81, 234 P. 582; Ohio Drilling Co. v. State Industrial Commission, 86 Okl. 139, 207 P. 314, 25 A.L.R. 367; and Knox & Shouse v. Knox, 120 Okl. 45, 250 P. 783.

Petitioners do not deny the effect of these decisions but argue that a resolution (O.S.L. 1953, p. 523, 85 O.S.Supp. § 2a) changed the law and the decisions thereon. This resolution is as follows:

“A Joint Resolution declaring that it is the intent of the Legislature that members of a partnership shall not be construed as being employees within the scope of the Workmen’s Compensation Law.
“Whereas, it has become evident that-by judicial decisions, members of partnerships have been treated as employees under the Workmen’s Compensation Law; and
“Whereas, the necessity of coming under the Workmen’s Compensation Law has worked a hardship on small partnerships and has discouraged the creation of new business through the medium of partnerships. It is contrary to custom, practice and procedure of other states, wherein the same not being so, acts to the general detriment and unfair discrimination of Oklahoma partnerships, except partners engaged in hazardous employment. This the same is contrary to the wishes and desires of the majority of Oklahoma partnerships, placing upon them an undue and unusual burden. The practice of allowing vice-principals to sue themselves is a negation of the common law; and
“Whereas, members of a partnership in adjacent states are not required to pay premium on members of the partnership and while members of Oklahoma partnerships are so required, it places them at a competitive disadvantage in the fields of commerce and industry; and
“Whereas, said danger is imminent and important;
“Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved By The House Of Representatives Of The Twenty-Fourth Oklahoma Legislature, The Senate Concurring Therein:
“That it is the intent of the Legislature that the Workmen’s Compensation Law does not apply to members of a partnership.”

Claimant asserts that the resolution shows on its face that it does not cover employees *677 engaged in hazardous employment, and petitioners answer there is no evidence in the record to show claimant was engaged in hazardous employment. We think it unnecessary to determine the meaning of this resolution in this respect.

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Bluebook (online)
1958 OK 277, 332 P.2d 674, 1958 Okla. LEXIS 465, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stephens-produce-company-v-stephens-okla-1958.