Tulsa Rig, Reel & Mfg. Co. v. Case

1936 OK 239, 55 P.2d 777, 176 Okla. 262, 1936 Okla. LEXIS 168
CourtSupreme Court of Oklahoma
DecidedMarch 10, 1936
DocketNo. 26463.
StatusPublished
Cited by35 cases

This text of 1936 OK 239 (Tulsa Rig, Reel & Mfg. Co. v. Case) 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
Tulsa Rig, Reel & Mfg. Co. v. Case, 1936 OK 239, 55 P.2d 777, 176 Okla. 262, 1936 Okla. LEXIS 168 (Okla. 1936).

Opinion

CORN, J.

This is an original proceeding in this court by the employer and insurance carrier to review an award of the State Industrial Commission against them and in favor of Frank Case, employee, awarding compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Act for accidental personal injuries sustained by said employee.

The record discloses that the claimant was a common laborer in the employ of the Tulsa Rig, Reel & Manufacturing Company, and that while claimant and a fellow workman were carrying a heavy rig timber, the fellow workman dropped his end of the timber, the fall of which jerked and jarred claimant’s right hand, fracturing the fourth metacarpal bone and bruising and straining the muscles and ligaments of that hand. The commission found temporary total disability from January 23, 1934, less the five-day waiting period, up to and including March 31, 1934, and 20 per cent, permanent partial loss of the use of said hand due to said injury.

Under the petitioners’ first proposition they contend that the evidence offered by the claimant in support of his claim is not sufficient to give the Industrial Commission jurisdiction to make the award complained of., and under their second proposition they contend the commission erred as a matter of law in awarding the claimant compensation at the rate of $12.31 per week.

In support of their first proposition the petitioners contend that the record fails to show facts sufficient to give the commission jurisdiction to hear and determine the cause; that there is no evidence as to the nature or kind of work engaged in by the claimant at the time of alleged accidental injury; that itere is no evidence to show whether the employer employed the requisite number of men to give the State Industrial Commission jurisdiction, or to show that the claimant *263 was engaged in a hazardous employment within the terms and meaning of the Workmen’s Compensation Act at the time of the alleged injury.

The fact that -the claimant was injured as above set out is not disputed. The record discloses that petitioners paid temporary total disability compensation for a few weeks after the injury was sustained, and on May 36, 1034, filed a motion with the commission to discontinue the payment of such compensation. It also appears that the claimant filed with the commission the ordinary form of claim setting forth the essential details of the case, and it further appears that neither the employer nor the insurance carrier raised any jurisdictional questions in the proceedings before the commission, and that none were at issue.

On numerous occasions this court has held that before a claimant is entitled to compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Act of the state of Oklahoma, it is necessary that he produce evidence sufficient to bring his employment within the terms of said act.

In the case of Harris v. Oklahoma Natural Gas Co., 91 Okla. 39, 216 P. 116, in the second paragraph of the syllabus we find the following statement:

“Our Workmen’s Compensation Law is remedial in its objects and operation, and should receive a liberal construction in favor of those entitled to its benefits, but before one is entitled thereto he should be held to strict proof that he is in a class embraced within the provisions of the law, and nothing can be presumed or inferred in this respect.”

The above syllabus is quoted with approval by the court in the ease of Moore and Gleason v. Taylor, 97 Okla. 193, 223 P. 611.

In the case of Veazey Drug Co v. Bruza, 109 Okla. 418, 37 P. (2d) 294, in the first three paragraphs of the syllabus by ihe court, we have the following language:

“Section 13349, O. S. 1931, enumerates and designates the classes of industries and business enterprises which come within the meaning and operation of the Workmen’s Compensation Law.
“The State Industrial Commission is without jurisdiction to make an award of compensation under the terms of the Workmen’s Compensation Law of this state, except in cases wherein it is made to appear that the employer is engaged in one of the classes of industries, plants, factories, lines, occupations, or trades mentioned in said act.
“When there is no dispute as to the facts, it is a question of law whether the employment is included in those enumerated in the Workmen’s Compensation Law.”

In the case of McKeever Drilling Co. v. Egbert, 170 Okla. 259, 40 P. (2d) 32, in the fourth paragraph of the syllabus we have this language:

“This court in reviewing an award of the State Industrial Commission will not accept as conclusive the findings of fact of the State Industrial Commission concerning a jurisdictional question, but on review will weigh the evidence relating thereto and make its own independent findings of fact with relation thereto.”

hi the case of Coca Cola Bottling Co. v. Mowry, 167 Okla. 644, 31 P. (2d) 562, in the syllabus by the court we find:

“Where there is no evidence to support a material fact in issue before the State Industrial Commission it then becomes a question of law, which, being properly presented, will be determined by this court.
“In all cases appealed from the commission the court reviews the record to the extent of ascertaining whether, under the compensation act (Statutes of 1931, sec. 13348 Jet seq.) a legal liability is shown. Fidelity & Casualty Co. v. Baker, 162 Okla. 10, 18 P. (2d) 894.”

In that case we find one P. W. Mowry, as claimant, filed with the State Industrial Commission a claim for compensation against tlie Coca Cola Bottling Company, respondent, and Royal Indemnity Company, insurance carrier, in which he alleges that he sustained an accidental personal injury arising out of and in the course of his employment with1 respondent on April 11, 1932, at which time he was aiding in the removal or installing of an ice box at the B. & M. Clothing Store. In) moving said box he contends he hurt, his shoulder. A hearing was had on this claim and an award was made in the claimant’s favor, awarding him compensation at the rate of $9.61 per week, and the respondent appealed, alleging that there was no competent evidence to show that the claimant was in one of the hazardous employments defined in section 13349, O. S. 1931, and that if the claimant had any disability iliat it iwas the result of an occupational disease and not an accidental injury. The court, in Its opinion, at page 563 of 167 Okla. Reports, states as follows:

“We have carefully examined the record and fail to find any competent evidence showing that the claimant .at the time of the alleged injury was engaged in any of the employments defined in section 13349.”

In Crown Drug Co. v. Hofstrom, 158 Okla. 27, 12 P. (2d) 519 (loc. cit. 28) it is stated:

*264 «* * * Workmen’s Compensation Law recognizes the facts that the same employer may conduct different departments of business, some of which fall within the act and some of which do not. * * *”

Quoting from Coca Cola Bottling Co. v. Mowry, supra, we find tlie following:

“In tlie case of Ferris v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Upton v. State Ex Rel. Department of Corrections
2000 OK 46 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 2000)
Four States Oil and Gas Company v. Brecht
1955 OK 347 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1955)
MIDLAND CO-OP. WHOLESALE v. Brown
1952 OK 337 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1952)
Tulsa Hotel v. Sparks
1948 OK 178 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1948)
Cameron & Henderson, Inc. v. Franks
1947 OK 232 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1947)
National Zinc Co. v. Goines
1944 OK 24 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1944)
Oklahoma City Livestock Exchange v. Parkey
1943 OK 415 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1943)
Hurley v. O'Brien
1943 OK 190 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1943)
Andrews Mining & Milling Co. v. Rhodes
1943 OK 45 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1943)
Williams v. Branum
1943 OK 7 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1943)
Eagle-Picher Mining & Smelting Co. v. Davison
1942 OK 413 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1942)
Griffin v. Holland
1942 OK 368 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1942)
Transwestern Oil Co. v. Newby
1941 OK 345 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1941)
Armour & Co. v. Worden
1941 OK 192 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1941)
Oklahoma Oil Corp. v. Tuttle
1940 OK 293 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1940)
Reeves v. Muskogee Cotton Oil Co.
1940 OK 262 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1940)
American Iron & MacHine Works v. Weatherman
1940 OK 231 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1940)
Payne Drilling Co. v. Shoemake
1939 OK 488 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1939)
Claude Drilling Co. v. Horner
1939 OK 423 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1939)
State Highway Commission v. Gaston
1939 OK 408 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1939)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1936 OK 239, 55 P.2d 777, 176 Okla. 262, 1936 Okla. LEXIS 168, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tulsa-rig-reel-mfg-co-v-case-okla-1936.