Case Title: Bailey v. North Carolina Dept. of Mental Health

Citation: 159 S.E.2d 28, 272 N.C. 680

Docket Number: 

State: north-carolina

Court: North Carolina Supreme Court

Date: 1968-02-02T00:00:00Z

Document:
159 S.E.2d 28 (1968) 272 N.C. 680 Cullen Bunn BAILEY, Jr. v. NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH. No. 522. Supreme Court of North Carolina. February 2, 1968. *30 Douglas F. DeBank, Raleigh, for plaintiff. Atty. Gen. T. W. Bruton and Staff Atty. L. Philip Covington, Raleigh, for defendant. BRANCH, Justice. G.S. § 143-291 provides for payment of damages for personal injuries sustained by any person "as a result of a negligent act of any officer, employee, involuntary servant or agent of the State while acting within the scope of his office, employment, * * * under circumstances where the state of North Carolina, if a private person, would be liable to the claimant in accordance with the laws of North Carolina. If the Commission finds that there was such negligence on the part of an officer, employee, * * * which was the proximate cause of the injury and that there was no contributory negligence on the part of claimant * * * the Commission shall determine the amount of damages which the claimant is entitled to be paid * * * but in no event shall the amount of damages awarded exceed the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00)." (The 1965 legislature increased the amount of possible recovery to $12,000.00, effective July 1, 1965, and the 1967 legislature increased the amount to $15,000.00, effective July 1, 1967.) G.S. § 143-293, which governs appeals from the Industrial Commission to Superior Court and the Supreme Court, in part provides: The Industrial Commission's findings of fact are conclusive on appeal when supported by competent evidence, except for jurisdictional findings. This is true, even though there is evidence which *31 would support findings to the contrary. English Mica Co. v. Avery County Board of Education, 246 N.C. 714, 100 S.E.2d 72; Nello L. Teer Co. v. North Carolina State Highway Commission, 265 N.C. 1, 143 S.E.2d 247. However, where facts are found or where the Commission fails to find facts under a misapprehension of law, the court will, where the ends of justice require, remand the cause so that the evidence may be considered in its true legal light. Stanley v. Hyman-Michaels Co., 222 N.C. 257, 22 S.E.2d 570. The scope of the reviewing court's inquiry in cases appealed from the Industrial Commission is succinctly stated by Ervin, J., in the case of Henry v. A. C. Lawrence Leather Co., 231 N.C. 477, 57 S.E.2d 760, as follows: The crucial findings of fact and conclusions of law by the hearing commissioner and adopted by the Full Commission are: The uncontradicted testimony indicates that while claimant was a patient at Dorothea Dix Hospital on 3 December 1963, he was given a shock treatment resulting in injury. In this connection the record reveals testimony by claimant as follows: A careful examination of the record compels the conclusion that this finding of fact made by the hearing commissioner, which was adopted and affirmed by the full Commission, was not supported by the evidence, and the conclusion of law and decision based on the finding was not justified. Upon reaching this conclusion it logically follows that the cause should be remanded for appropriate findings as to whether there was a negligent act of any named officer, employee, involuntary servant or agent of the State while acting within the scope of his office, employment, service, agency, or authority which was the proximate cause of claimant's injury, and whether claimant was guilty of contributory negligence. When the findings are insufficient to enable the court to determine the rights of the parties, the case must be remanded to the Commission for proper findings. *32 Pardue v. Blackburn Bros. Oil & Tire Co., 260 N.C. 413, 132 S.E.2d 747. Here the findings of fact are insufficient for a proper determination of the questions raised, and the judge of superior court correctly remanded the cause to the Industrial Commission. However, we note that this order provides: Ordinarily, the limited authority of the reviewing court does not permit the trial judge to order remand of the cause for the taking of additional evidence. However, the judge of superior court may remand a cause to the Industrial Commission on ground of newly discovered evidence in a proper case, and such proper case is made out only when it appears by affidavits: This discretionary power can be invoked only upon the showing of the above requirements, and without such showing the court is without jurisdiction to remand for rehearing on ground of newly discovered evidence. McCulloh v. Catawba College, supra. Further, Industrial Commission, in a proper case, may grant a rehearing and hear additional evidence. This is true even though this Court recognizes that a party to a compensation case is not entitled to try his case "piecemeal." (For a full discussion of the power of the Industrial Commission relative to rehearings, see Hall v. Thomason Chevrolet Co., 263 N.C. 569, 139 S.E.2d 857). In the instant case the Court, ex mero motu, without motion or affidavit showing any of the listed requirements, remanded the case and erroneously ordered a rehearing "to make such additional findings of fact and conclusions of law as may be deemed necessary by any additional evidence heard upon rehearing." (Emphasis ours) The judge of superior court also exceeded his authority when he concluded: "That the Chairman and the Full Commission erred, as a matter of law, in failing to find that Dr. William Frierson was present and administered the shock treatment to the plaintiff on December 3, 1963; * * *" Again, the judge did not confine himself to considering whether there was evidence to support a finding or whether the finding justified a legal conclusion. Rather, he entered an ultimate finding and, in effect, ordered the Commission to so find. This is error. Henry v. A. C. Lawrence Leather Co., supra. The judgment is vacated and the cause is remanded to the Superior Court of Wake County with direction that it be remanded to the North Carolina Industrial Commission for further consideration, to the end that the Commission may proceed with findings of fact and a determination of the rights of the parties in accord with the principles herein enunciated. Error and remanded.