Varoukas v. Industrial Commission

191 P. 1091, 56 Utah 574, 1920 Utah LEXIS 70
CourtUtah Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 21, 1920
DocketNo. 3490
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 191 P. 1091 (Varoukas v. Industrial Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Utah Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Varoukas v. Industrial Commission, 191 P. 1091, 56 Utah 574, 1920 Utah LEXIS 70 (Utah 1920).

Opinion

FRICK, J.

Plaintiff, in due time and in due form, made application to the Industrial Commission of Utah, hereinafter styled commission, for compensation under our statute for a disability caused by injuries which he sustained in the course [576]*576of bis employment while in tbe employment of tbe Standard Coal Company of Utah. Tbe commission, after a bearing, awarded plaintiff “compensation for tbe disability period, January 10, 1919, to February 20, 1919, less tbe ten days waiting period,” amounting to fifty-four dollars and eighty-one cents. Tbe plaintiff was dissatisfied with tbe award of tbe commission, for tbe reason, as be contends, that tbe disability period fixed by the commission was for a shorter time than the disability continued, and be asked for a rehearing. In tbe petition for a rehearing be asked for additional compensation, which additional compensation, however, was denied for tbe reasons hereinafter appearing. The majority of the commission on tbe first bearing, after reciting tbe facts, closed its decision as follows:

“From the evidence, therefore, the commission finds that the applicant met with an accident and sustained injuries arising out of and in the course of his employment,' and that there followed a total disability period from January 10, 1919, to February 20, 1919, for which compensation should be allowed. The commission finds that the disability period extended beyond the twentieth of February, 1919, but that compensation may not be allowed for this period on account of the violation of rule 19. The commission feels that this is a reasonable rule which must be respected. In this case the evidence shows that the defendant furnished, and was willing to furnish, all necessary medical attention, and it is conceded that where the defendant is willing to do this it should have the right to so do, and this right should not be interfered with by the employé without reason and without notification to any one taking his departure from the locality.
“Wherefore it is ordered, adjudged, and decreed that the applicant be, and he is hereby, awarded compensation for the disability period, January 10, 1919, to February 20, 1919, less the ten days’ waiting period, or 31 days, or fifty-four dollars and eighty-one cents.”

In denying the application for additional compensation tbe commission merely adhered to tbe reasons originally given, and tbe plaintiff presents the record to. this court for review.

Rule 19 which is referred to in tbe decision of tbe commission, and pursuant to which it refused to allow plaintiff additional compensation, reads as follows:

[577]*577“An injured employé who desires to leave the locality in which he or she has been employed during the treatment of his or her injury or desires to leave the state, shall report to his or her attending physician for examination, notifying the commission in writing of such intention to leave, accompanying such notice with a certificate from the attending physician, setting forth the exact nature of the injury, the condition of the employé, together with a statement of the probable length of time disability will continue. After complying with the requirements herein set forth and upon written consent of the commission, the employé may leave the locality in which he or she has been employed, otherwise no compensation will be allowed during such absence from the locality in which he or she has been employed.”

Plaintiff’s counsel vigorously assail the findings and conclusions of the commission, and further insist that it was without power or authority to adopt rule 19. They contend, however, that if it be conceded that the commission possessed such power, yet said rule is unreasonable, and for that reason the rule is without force or effect. Without pausing now to point out the particular powers that are conferred on the commission with regard to adopting and promulgating 1 rules and regulations, we are clearly of the opinion that the commission has ample power to promulgate all reasonable rules and regulations for the protection of those who are injured, and also to protect the rights of the employer, and that of the insurance carrier, and may safeguard the state insurance fund. The rules that are promulgated, however, must l?e reasonable, and must conform to the spirit of the Compensation Act (Laws 391.7, chapter 100, as amended by Laws 1919, chapter 63).

In view of its decision and the evidence, which is certified to this court by the commission, the only question we can consider here is the reasonableness of rule 19.

It will be observed that according to the provisions of rule 19 the employé is permitted to leave the locality in which he was employed only after he has complied with those requirements, “and upon the written consent of the commission, * * * otherwise no compensation will be allowed during * * * the absence of the employé from the locality in which he has been employed.” The rule is absolute and [578]*578inflexible to the effect that if the employé leave the locality of his employment without complying with its requirements and without the written consent of the commission “no compensation will be allowed during” such absence. The em-ployé thus forfeits all compensation regardless of the cause which may have induced or required him to leave the locality of his employment. It will also be observed that the forfeiture is imposed without giving him a hearing so far as the rule is concerned. As a matter of course, if the commission may forfeit all compensation merely because the rule is disregarded, no hearing is necessary. We are of the opinion, however, that the commission may not forfeit any part of the compensation which is allowed by our statute, except after notice and hearing and for good cause. 2 No doubt the rule in its general tenor and effect is proper and salutary. In view that the employer under the statute is required to compensate the injured employé during his entire disability and the commission in all cases is required to determine and fix the period of disability, it is but just and .fair, even necessary, that the employé shall comply with all reasonable rules and regulations which are intended to protect the employer, the insurance carrier, and the state insurance fund against spurious or fanciful claims on the part of the employé and that the employé remain within the reach of the commission at all ^ times during his disability.' Tt is a matter known to all, however, that an employé, like many other persons, may suddenly be called on to leave the locality of his employment upon a call from, his home in case of serious illness or death of one of his family or kinsman, or for some other unavoidable reason, and in order to respond to the call effectually it may be utterly impossible to first obtain the written consent of the commission, or even make a report to the attending physician on account of his absence or for some other reason. Under the rule as it is written, however, and as it is applied in this case, a forfeiture would result whether the employé had left the locality with or without cause. Such a rule, in our judgment, is contrary to the spirit of the Compensation Act, for the reason that its [579]*579enforcement under certain circumstances must result in forfeiting compensation which may be justly due to the employé.

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Bluebook (online)
191 P. 1091, 56 Utah 574, 1920 Utah LEXIS 70, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/varoukas-v-industrial-commission-utah-1920.