Title: Hook v. Springfield

State: ohio

Issuer: Ohio Supreme Court

Document:

[Cite as Hook v. Springfield, 94 Ohio St.3d 1251, 2002-Ohio-1490.] 
 
 
HOOK; GENTIS, EXR., APPELLANT, v. CITY OF SPRINGFIELD ET AL., APPELLEES. 
[Cite as Hook v. Springfield (2002), 94 Ohio St.3d 1251.] 
Appeal dismissed as improvidently allowed. 
(No. 01-519 — Submitted February 26, 2002 — Decided April 3, 2002.) 
APPEAL from the Court of Appeals for Clark County, No. 2000CA71. 
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The cause is dismissed, sua sponte, as having been improvidently allowed. 
 
MOYER, C.J., F.E. SWEENEY, COOK and LUNDBERG STRATTON, JJ., concur. 
 
DOUGLAS, J., dissents. 
 
RESNICK and PFEIFER, JJ., dissent. 
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PFEIFER, J., dissenting.  I dissent from the majority’s decision to declare 
that jurisdiction in this case was improvidently allowed.  Frederick E. Hook’s 
claim for benefits that were allegedly owed him should not terminate because he 
died.  See State ex rel. Liposchak v. Indus. Comm. (2000), 90 Ohio St.3d 276, 737 
N.E.2d 519.  If the Industrial Commission had allowed his claim before his death, 
Hook would have received benefits.  Why then, if the Industrial Commission 
improperly denied benefits, should Hook’s estate not be entitled to benefits 
through the day of his death?  I would reverse the judgment of the court of 
appeals and allow the continuance of the action by the estate. 
 
Claimants already face significant structural delays because of the appeals 
process, and, as in this case, some of them die before the process is complete.  
Although no wrongdoing was alleged in this case, I am troubled that the Industrial 
Commission continues to have an incentive to engage in delaying tactics while 
waiting for a claimant to die.  See State ex rel. Johnston v. Ohio Bur. of Workers’ 
Comp. (2001), 92 Ohio St.3d 463, 751 N.E.2d 974.  I dissent. 
SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 
2 
 
RESNICK, J., concurs in the foregoing dissenting opinion. 
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Stewart Jaffy & Associates Co., L.P.A., Stewart R. Jaffy, Marc J. Jaffy and 
Alan D. Eakins, for appellant. 
 
Robin B. DeBell, Law Director, for appellee city of Springfield. 
 
Betty D. Montgomery, Attorney General, and Dennis H. Behm, Assistant 
Attorney General, for appellee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. 
 
Barry M. Byron and Stephen L. Byron, urging affirmance for amicus 
curiae Ohio Municipal League. 
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