The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-03-04
HURT WORKMAN NOT
GIVEN SQUARE DEAL
Labor Department Takes Up
Belated Case and Insists
On Fair Settlement.

A few days ago an attorney called
at the office of w. F. Houk state
commissioner of labor, in the capitol
at st. Paul, and stated that work
man residing in a small city near
where he lived was injured about a
year ago and was not receiving any
compensation, although he was still
unable to work. He requested the
department of labor to assist the
workman in collecting compensation
An agent of the department was di-
rected to investigate the case. He
learned that the man, foundry en-
ploye, was injured on February Is,
1915, suffering a fracture of the heel,
a fracture of the ankle, a, fracture of
the instep and fracture of the leg
about two inches above the ankle.
In July, 1915, the physician en-
p1oyed by the company certified the
injured man to be able to do light
work. In his report to the employers
he said he had secured a perfect re-
suit" but later in the report stated
that "the foot will swell for a year or
more, especially 'to1rard1E~ evening"
To the agent of the departn ent, when
he called on him in February of this
year, the doctor: Waa~foEced to admit
that the man vas 5VnaRlH TO swaAs
from his home to The 4eundfy. =
The firm offered, ), the, Workings
light work at which 'hesTQa19s{po
stantly. The man was unabNR- ae=
cept the work, being unable to walk
to the shop, so the firm on September
-" discontinued paying him compen-
A son of the injured man took him
to another physician for an X-ray ex-
animation. This doctor and two other
doctors who have examined the
plates declare that the splintered
bones in the heel have not been prop
erly set and that there was mot a
perfect result" The department of
labor has notified the firm to pay the
injured man the compensation he Is
entitled to under the law. Failing to
do so they will assist the workman>in
collecting, through the district court.
The case is sad one-yet the sad
dest feature is the reflection that the
accident was so unnecessary. 1t need
not have happened. The man wanted
10 use n piece VI Uduu 1IOl. L10
climbed to the top of a rack on which
large sheets of iron were stored to
get it. The man claims the sheets
were not properly piled and when he
stepped on them they turned, throw
ing him down, and a bundle of them
weighing about five hundred pounds
fell on his foot, causing the fractures.
The firm claims the man had no
business to climb on the rack and
that he had been warned before not
to climb onto them. They admitted
that the sheets were too large for the
racks and could have been piled in a
manner to be safe. Taking either
story, it shows that the accident was
due entirely to carelessness and
thoughtlessness-tw of the greatest
causes of accidents.
In Minnesota in one year employers
reported 1918 accidents caused by
falling objects, most Of which could
have been prevented. Too much
hurry, carelessness, thoughtlessness
and disobedience cause most Of this
type Of accident. The story Of this
accident proves the truth of the say
ing An injury prevented is tbene-
faction, an injury comp ensated IL an
apology BE CAREFUL