The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-12-31
COMPENSATION ACT
WORKS OUT WELL
1,c2T OF 1876 Accidents N 1875 finally
Disposed of-No Appeals from
Board Decision.

MONTPELIER, Dee 31-Vermont S I
Industrial Accident board, which came |
into being on the passage of the work |
mems compensation act at the last |
session of the legislature, has received
in five and one-half months reports of
1876 accidents. Of these 1927 have
been finally disposed of by the board. e
either on an agreement made by the
parties and approved by the board |
after an investigation, or on an order
OF the board after a hearing Of the
remaining 4S9, 264 are practically
closed but ara not so classed because
the final papers showing that the med
zeal expenses and compensation due has
been paid, have not been filed.
The board, appointees of Governor
Gates, is made up as follows: Robert
W. Simonds, St. Johnsbury, chairman.
SIX years; S. a. Daniels, Brattleboro,
four years; F. S. Pease, Burlington.
two years; with Miss Laura NJ. Bur
bank, secretary.
| The purpose of the law is TO do
away with expensive litigation, to
place the burden of industrial accidents
upon the industry rather than upon the
employer or the employee and to com
pcnsate, to some extent at least. the
! Juries. The board simply carries out
the provisions of the law as it was en-
acted by the Legislators.
The act provides that medical attend
ance shall be furnished by the employ
er during the first IA days and that
compensation shall not begin until the
list day. From this explanation it
may easily be seen by the figures first
mentioned that the board has been
able to keep the work up to date but
the matter sounds much more simple
than is really the case.
The administration of the law has
been made as simple as possible and all
necessary forms are provided by the
board and sent upon application to
anyone desiring 10 make use Of the
same. When an accident occurs the
employer is required to send a report
of the same to the board within n
! period of - hours. In case the injured
man is not able to return to work at
the expiration of Go DAYS from the
; time he met with the mishap the EN-.
ployer files . supplementary report
stating the fact and probable perio
; Of disability. At the termination Of
the disability, when the employe is
!, again able to resume his duties final
:. report is filed.
Owing to the wording of the law
the board has not favored settlements
k by the payment of lump sums, prefer
ring to have the injured man receive
n his compensation weekly during the
q period he is unable to labor.
/. Eight fatal accidents have been re
tported since the law became effective
! July 1, 1915, and in two of these case.
the victims were Austrians and it ha.
: been found impossible to communicat,
j, with relatives The matter has beer
; taken up with the Austrian consul il
Boston for the purpose of determinin.
: whether there are dependents Of tn
: men within the meaning of the law.
s While the act does not apply 10 cor
I Germs who employ less than IL men
= provisions, many have taken advantag
of~the optional clause and are operat
= ing under the law.
In but a single instance has eithe
: the employer or employee been repre-
= scented at n hearing held before I'll
y board by an attorney and an appea
has vet to be taken from decision
handed down by the board, fac
II which IN itself speaks volumes for tn
Z efficiency of the members.
u The board has yet to receive an
"a complaints against the law, as it read
: or as il has been interpreted by tn
= board and it appears to be in the mai
satisfactory to employer and to en-
= ploye.