Summit Drilling Co. v. Graham

1931 OK 725, 6 P.2d 693, 154 Okla. 64, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 487
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedNovember 17, 1931
Docket22596
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 1931 OK 725 (Summit Drilling Co. v. Graham) 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
Summit Drilling Co. v. Graham, 1931 OK 725, 6 P.2d 693, 154 Okla. 64, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 487 (Okla. 1931).

Opinions

CULLISON, J.

This is an original proceeding in the Supreme Court to review an award of the State Industrial Commission rendered on June 19, 1931, 'in favor of Cass Graham, respondent herein. The respondent was injured in 1925, while in the employ of petitioner, and on January 16, 1926, respondent and petitioner entered into a stipulation and claimant signed receipt acknowledging the receipt of $324 in payment of the permanent partial disability sustained by claimant. Said stipulation was approved and award made by the Industrial Commission March 4, 1926.

Thereafter, on February 6, 1931, respondent filed a motion with the Commission to reopen said cause by reason of a change in condition. A hearing was had by the Commission, and the following award was made:

“Order.
“Now, on this 19th day of June, 1931, the State Industrial Commission being regularly in session, this cause comes on to be considered pursuant to a hearing had at Oklahoma City, Okla., April 27, 1931, before T. J. McConville, inspector duly assigned to hear said cause, to determine extent of liability, at which hearing claimant appeared in person and by his attorney, G. G. McBride, and the respondent and insurance carrier were represented by F. B. Jordon, Jr.,; and a subsequent hearing had, by agreement, at Oklahoma City, Okla., on May 1, 1931, before Inspector T. J. McConv'ille, duly assigned by the Commission to conduct said hearing, to take further testimony, at which hearing claimant appeared in person and by his attorney, G. G. McBride, and the respondent and insurance carrier were represented by F. B. Jordon, Jr., and the Commission, having reviewed the testimony taken at said hearings, examined all records on file in said cause, and being otherwise well and sufficiently advised in the premises, finds:
“(1) That on the 18th day of July, 1925, the claimant was in the employment of said respondent and engaged in a hazardous occupation subject to and covered by the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Law, and that on said date sustained an accidental injury, arising out of and in the course of his employment, consisting of an injury to the left hand.
“(2) That the average daily wage of the claimant at the time of the said accidental injury was $6 per day.
“(3) That by reason of said injury the claimant was temporarily totally disabled from July 18, 1925, to September 30, 1925, or for a total of ten weeks beyond the five days’ waiting period, for which he has been paid compensation at the rate of $18 per week or the total sum of $180.
“(4) That by reason of said accidental injury the claimant has sustained 20 per cent, permanent partial loss of the use of the left hand.
“Upon consideration of the foregoing facts : The Commission is of the opinion that the claimant is entitled to 40 weeks’ compensation at the rate of $18 per week, or the sum of $720, less any amount heretofore *65 paid, on account of 20 per cent, permanent partial loss of the use of the left hand.
“It is therefore ordered: That within 15 days from this date the respondent or insurance carrier pay to the claimant the sum of $720, less any amount heretofore paid, on account of 20 per cent, permanent partial loss of the use of claimant’s left hand, and respondent and insurance carrier to pay all medical, hospital, and doctor bills incurred by reason of said accidental 'injury. * * *” (R. 53, 54.)

The first proposition raised by petitioners is that the award is contrary to law in that the Commission made no finding that a change of condition had accurred since the previous award in 1926.

The record discloses that an award was made to respondent in 1926 for injury to the index finger of the left hand. Said disability was described as partial permanent disability, and respondent awarded $324 in payment thereof. (R. 8, 9.)

Respondent now asks to reopen said cause on the ground of change in condition and it becomes necessary that respondent prove that there has been a change in condition resulting from the original injury, and that said change in condition developed after the previous award made in said cause.

The award made by the Commission on June 19, 1931, does not recite or show that there has been any change in condition on the part of respondent. Neither is there any showing made that the Commission found sufficient change in condition to reopen the cause. The approval of the stipulation and the award made by the Commission March 4, 1926, is as follows:

“Order and Award.
“The Commission on this date being regularly in session,, this cause comes op in its regular order to be considered pursuant to the stipulation and receipt filed by the parties herein, and the Commission having considered said stipulation and receipt, finds upon consideration thereof that the claimant herein is entitled to an award for compensation for disability resulting from an accidental injury sustained while in the course of his employment with respondent and arising out of same, and being particularly described in said stipulation.
“It is therefore ordered: That claimant herein be and he is hereby awarded compensation in the aggregate sum of $324, and It appearing that the claimant has heretofore received payments of compensation the total of which is a sum equal to that herein awarded,
“It is further ordered: That such payment be approved and credited in satisfaction of this award.” (R. 9.)

It will be observed the award made March 4, 1926, was for permanent partial disability. Paragraph No. 3, order of the Commission, June 16, 1931, reads as follows:

“That by reason of said injury the claimant was temporarily totally disabled from July 18, 1925, to September 30, 1925, or for a total of ten weeks beyond the five days waiting period, for which he has been paid compensation at the rate of $18 per week or the total sum of $180.”

Paragraph No. 4 provides:

“That by reason of said accidental injury, the claimant has sustained 20 per cent, permanent partial loss of the use of the left hand.”

It will be observed that the Commission in its order of June 16, 1931, found in paragraph No. 4 that the claimant had sustained a permanent partial disability, not temporary. In the ease of K. D. Oil Co. v. Datel, 145 Okla. 264, 292 P. 564, at page 568, this court said:

“If the Commission finds that there was a change in the condition of the respondent Ed Datel, after the former hearing and award, due to the original injury, it may allow the defendant such additional compensation by reason of said change in conditions after the former award as is authorized and provided for by the act.”

Under this rule the Commission must find that there was a change in condition of respondent before it would be authorized in making a new award. Upon careful examination of the orders made, supra, there appears no finding of change in condition. Respondents cite in their brief in substantiation of the award of the Commission, the case of Wentz v. Brookshire, 150 Okla. 92, 300 Pac.

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Related

Rose v. Champlin Refining Co.
1938 OK 622 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1938)
Oklahoma Utilities Co. v. Johnson
1937 OK 110 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1937)
Southern Drilling Co. v. Daley
1933 OK 541 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1933)
Skelly Oil Co. v. Skinner
1933 OK 151 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1933)

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Bluebook (online)
1931 OK 725, 6 P.2d 693, 154 Okla. 64, 1931 Okla. LEXIS 487, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/summit-drilling-co-v-graham-okla-1931.