Young v. Liberty National Insurance Company

357 P.2d 886, 138 Mont. 458, 1960 Mont. LEXIS 104
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 16, 1960
Docket10145
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 357 P.2d 886 (Young v. Liberty National Insurance Company) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Young v. Liberty National Insurance Company, 357 P.2d 886, 138 Mont. 458, 1960 Mont. LEXIS 104 (Mo. 1960).

Opinion

MR. CHIEF JUSTICE HARRISON

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

This is an appeal from a judgment of the district court of the first judicial district, Lewis and Clark county, reversing an order of the Industrial Accident Board and granting an award of compensation to respondent.

Respondent, John Young, was employed by appellant, Liberty National Insurance Company, on August 1, 1949, as a first-aid attendant and was assigned to the Canyon Ferry Dam project. Liberty National was enrolled under plan two of the Work *460 men’s Compensation Act, R.C.M. 1947, § 92-101, et seq., and appellant, Fireman’s Fund Indemnity C°mPaiiyj was its insurer. It was respondent’s duty to render first aid to injured employees of the contractor at the project.

On February 13, 1953, an employee of the contractor was electrocuted. This occurred about 12:30 or 1:00 o’clock in the afternoon. Respondent was immediately notified, and went directly to the scene where he applied artificial respiration to the man in an attempt to revive him. There was snow on the ground, the temperature was between ten and fifteen degrees below zero, and a brisk wind was blowing at the time. Respondent remained in a cramped squatting position for about two hours while applying artificial respiration. At 3:00 o’clock P.M. a doctor arrived from Helena and pronounced the man dead. Respondent was not wearing gloves at the time, and he only had regular shoes on his feet. Respondent’s hands and legs were cold and slightly numb at the end of the two hours. He was also exhausted as a result of the physical exertion required in giving artificial respiration. Two or three days later respondent’s left hand became numb and his left leg began to bother him with pain and swelling. This condition grew steadily worse, and on February 25, 1953, respondent was examined by Dr. Cooney. Dr. Cooney’s report described respondent’s condition as “Sensory disturbance ulnar distribution right and left hands. Numbness and myalgia right and left calf muscles.” Respondent was hospitalized in Helena on February 28, 1953, and he remained there for seven days during which time heat treatments were applied to his left leg. His leg was somewhat better at the end of the hospital stay, but several days thereafter it began to grow progressively worse. Respondent continued in the employment of Liberty National, however, as he was unable to walk any further than a block before his left leg started to hurt, or drive the ambulance which was at his disposal because he was unable to operate the clutch with his left foot, or get around on the job *461 as he had previous to February 13, he was given a driver for the ambulance and a nurse to help him with his work. Between February 13, 3953, and the date he entered the hospital, respondent spent most of his time in bed.

Firemen’s Fund Indemnity Company turned down respondent’s claim for compensation, and on August 21, 1953, respondent petitioned the Industrial Accident Board for a hearing. The Board set a hearing for March 3, 1954. The case was later reset for July 12, 1954.

At the hearing before the Industrial Accident Board, Dr. Monserrate testified on behalf of respondent and Dr. Little testified on behalf of appellants. Dr. Monserrate had examined respondent on February 25th and 27th, March 2nd, and April 8th of 1954. Dr. Little had examined him on April 17th and 19th of 1954. Respondent appeared and testified on his own behalf.

Respondent, in addition to his testimony relating to the facts surrounding the incident of February 13, 1953, and the subsequent progression of his condition, stated that he would be 58 years of age on July 14th; that he had never had trouble with his left hand or leg previous to February 13, 1953; that he had always been in good health; that he had never been in a hospital; that he had taken a civil service physical examination in 1949 immediately preceding his employment by Liberty National and that this examination showed him to be in A-l physical condition; that his employment with Liberty National terminated on June 15, 1954, because the Canyon Ferry project had ended; and that he was unable to perform his duties as he should have after February 13, 1953, but that he was not discharged before the end of the project because he had done a good job for the insurance company the previous four years.

Dr. Monserrate testified that he found a definite weakness and numbness in respondent’s left hand and foot. He also stated that N-rays of the left foot revealed some arterioscle *462 rosis. Dr. Monserrate said the pain in respondent’s left foot was dne to an arteriospasm of the arteries and arterioles. It was Dr. Monserrate’» opinion that respondent’s symptoms and condition were the result of his exposure to the elements on February 13, 1953, and that respondent was partially and permanently disabled from 30 percent to 40 percent.

Dr. Little testified that his examination also revealed some arteriosclerosis; that respondent seemed to have a marked numbness in his left hand; and that there was a marked diminution of pulse in the artery of the left leg. Dr. Little said he did not believe that respondent was suffering from an arteriospasm, and in his opinion, neither the symptoms from which respondent was suffering, nor the condition of arteriosclerosis were caused or aggravated by the exposure and physical exertion of respondent on February 13, 1953.

The Industrial Accident Board after making’ findings of fact concluded respondent’s disability did not result from an industrial accident arising out of and in the course of his employment as defined by the laws of Montana. The Board thereupon denied respondent’s claim for compensation and dismissed the case. Respondent made an application for a rehearing which was denied. Respondent then appealed to the district court pursuant to section 92-833, R.C.M. 1947.

The case came on for hearing before the district court on July 15, 1959, and pursuant to stipulation of parties the case was submitted to the court on the record made before the Industrial Accident Board plus additional evidence which was thought to be necessary because of a change in circumstances. This additional evidence was supplied in part, by respondent on his own behalf, by Dr. Clemmons and Dr. Trobough testifying on behalf of respondent, and by Dr. Little who again testified on behalf of appellants.

In testifying before the district court, respondent stated that he left Helena and went to Los Angeles, California, on September 30, 1954; that the condition of his left leg continued *463 to grow progessively worse; that he was examined by specialists at the Los Angeles County Hospital; that he was advised by them to undergo an arterial graft operation on his left leg'; that this operation was performed at the hospital on August 7, 1956; that gangrene developed in his left leg and it was amputated above the knee on September 18, 1956; that he was not trained to do any work other than that of a first-aid man; and that as a result of the amputation he could no longer find employment.

Dr. Clemmons examined respondent on July 13, 1959.

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Bluebook (online)
357 P.2d 886, 138 Mont. 458, 1960 Mont. LEXIS 104, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/young-v-liberty-national-insurance-company-mont-1960.