Thompson v. Continental Motors Corp.

30 N.W.2d 844, 320 Mich. 219, 1948 Mich. LEXIS 566
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 16, 1948
DocketDocket No. 31, Calendar No. 43,905.
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 30 N.W.2d 844 (Thompson v. Continental Motors Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thompson v. Continental Motors Corp., 30 N.W.2d 844, 320 Mich. 219, 1948 Mich. LEXIS 566 (Mich. 1948).

Opinion

Boyles, J.

Plaintiff appeals in the nature of certiorari on leave g’ranted, from an award of compensation to him by the workmen’s compensation *221 commission. The substance of plaintiff’s claim is that he should have been awarded more compensation. Plaintiff, an employee of the defendant Continental Motors Corporation, filed a claim with the department of labor and industry for compensation for an occupational disease (dermatitis) arising out of and in the course of his employment. At a hearing, the deputy commissioner found that the employee’s weekly wage before the time of the injury was $111.38; that he was entitled to receive compensation at the rate of $21 per week for total disability from May 28, 1946; to September 8, 1946, and from September 17, 1946, to September 25, 1946; and that the plaintiff’s'loss of wages after September 25th was not due to .the injury of May 28, 1946. From that award, the plaintiff made application for review before the commission, his sole ground being stated as follows:

“This claim foi review is based on the following grounds:

“The award of the deputy commissioner is contrary both to the facts and to the law.”

On the review before the commission, the defendant stated the question involved was: ‘ ‘ Did plaintiff receive a personal injury on May 28, 1946, resulting in any loss of wages after September 25, 1946?” and insisted that the deputy had correctly answered this question “No.”

On said review, the findings of the commission .affirmed the award of the deputy for compensation up to September 25, 1946, but added compensation also, from- and after that date. In so far as they involve the questions now before us for decision, the findings were as follows:

“The defendant, Continental Motors Corporation has paid the compensation awarded by the deputy commissioner and the only question before *222 us is whether or not the plaintiff’s dermatitis arising out of and in the course of his employment by the Continental Motors Corporation has caused him any disability since September 25, 1946. The record is very clear that the plaintiff was transferred from his job in the block department to the inspection job for the specific reason that the defendant’s doctors recommended that this be done because of the plaintiff’s dermatitis. The- inspection job was and is a lower paying job than the block job and there is, therefore, no question but that the plaintiff has suffered a loss in earnings because of his occupational disease. - * * * Wé find that the plaintiff is entitled to further and continuing compensation for partial disability for the specific reason that his occupational disease has caused him to be taken, on his employer’s orders, from a higher paying job to a lower paying job and that his handicap due to his dermatitis is still continuing.

“The plaintiff’s regular work week at the Continental Motors Corporation was 48 hours a week with time and a half pay for all hours worked over 40. His hourly rate on the block job was $1.5795. For the regular 48-hour week he received $82.13. When he was placed on the inspection job on September 26, 1946 he was paid an hourly rate of $1,125 or a 48-hour weekly wage of $58.50. He thereafter received an hourly raise of 5‡ an hour every month until March of 1947 so that his weekly wage from October 28 to November 25, 1946 was $61.10 a week; from November 25, 1946 to December 23, 1946, $63.70 a week; from December 23, 1946 to January 20, 1947, $66.30 a week; from January 20, 1947 to February 17, 1947, $68.90 a week; from February 17, 1947 to March 17, 1947, $71.50 a week and from March 17, 1947 and up to and through the date of the hearing before Deputy Commissioner McGinty, $74.10 per week.”

The commission then further found that plaintiff was entitled to compensation “at the rate of $15.75 *223 per week from September 26 to October 28, 1946; at tbe rate of $14.06 per week from October 28 to November 25, 1946; at tbe rate of $12.29 per week from November 25 to December 23, 1946; at tbe rate of $10.55 per week from December 23, 1946 to January 20, 1947; at tbe rate of $8.82 per week from January 20, 1947 to February 17, 1947; at tbe rate of $7.09 per week from February 17, 1947 to March 17, 1947, and at- tbe rate of $5.35 per week from March 17, 1947 and until tbe further order of tbe commission.”

From an order awarding compensation in accordance with tbe foregoing findings, tbe plaintiff, on leave granted, appeals to this Court. Tbe questions raised, by appellant for review here are as follows :

“(1) May tbe compensation commission make a finding contrary to tbe stipulation of tbe parties ?

“(2) May tbe compensation commission inject issues into a case which have not been raised by tbe parties themselves ?

“(3) Is there any evidence to support tbe finding of tbe compensation commission that tbe plaintiff's wages were $82.13?”

(1) Tbe stipulation.

At tbe bearing before tbe deputy, Mr. Marcus appeared for tbe plaintiff, and Mr. Eiley for tbe defendant. Material to tbe issues here involved, tbe following occurred:

“The Commissioner: I will call tbe case of Everett E. Thompson v. Continental Motors Corporation. * * * May it be stipulated both tbe employer and employee were subject to tbe compensation law?

“Mr. Riley: Yes. * * *

*224 “The- Commissioner: Tbat injured’s exact daily and weekly wages at tbe time of tbe personal injury were?

“Mr. Riley: Tbe last full two-week period, $222.76.

“Mr. Marcus: $111.38, is tbat about wbat you were making?

“Mr. Thompson:. Yes, it is:

“Mr. Marcus: We will accept balf of tbat as bis weekly wage.

“The Commissioner: $111.38?

, “Mr. Marcus: $111.38.”

Plaintiff claims tbat tbis is a binding stipulation of fact, tbat tbe average weekly wage of tbe plaintiff -before tbe time of tbe injury was thereby fixed with finality and not subject to change by tbe commission on review. It is quite apparent tbat this was a statement of fact, agreed to by both parties, and made a part of the record before tbe deputy, tbat plaintiff’s wages for tbe last two weeks be worked up to tbe time of tbe injury (May 28, 1946) were $222.76, and tbat balf of that amount, $111.38, was bis weekly wage.

Conceding that said -statement of weekly wages agreed to before tbe deputy should be considered as a stipulation of fact, it is not under all circumstances necessarily final and binding on review by tbe commission. Under some circumstances tbe door would be open to the commission to make a finding of facts.

‘ ‘ Tbe review from tbe award of a deputy commissioner is a de novo bearing. Margenovitch v. Newport Mining Co., 213 Mich. 272.

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Bluebook (online)
30 N.W.2d 844, 320 Mich. 219, 1948 Mich. LEXIS 566, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thompson-v-continental-motors-corp-mich-1948.