Evening journal., 1921-02-03
2,46O CASES FOR
ACCIDENT BOARD
Total Of 1920 Accidents
Reported Under Compen-
sation Law Since>191S
SEE FINE SPIRIT
OF COOPERATION
STAFF Correspondent.

Staff Correspondent
DOVER, Feb. 3.-Slnoe II was created
under the workmen's Compensation
Act, passed by the 1877 Legislature,
the industrial Accident Board which
administers that law has had reported
/ 10 II a total OF 1920 accidents. OF
these cases reported In the last three
/ years, 2.460 were compensate acci-
dents.
These figures are given In a report
submitted TO the General Assembly
today by the Industrial Accident
Board. This board originally consisted
OF Sylvester d. Townsend, Jr., OF VIII
mington; Harry Mayer, OF Dover, and
Nolley NJ: Murray. OF Sebyyille; MT
| Townsend resigned after being elected
attorney-general and Governor Denney
recently appointed Colonel George W
Sparks TO succeed him. Charles VI
3 Grantland is secretary Of the board.
The members and secretary each re-
celve 81 500 year but tax on in
surance carriers makes the board self
sustaining
The report IN part follows:
''That the provisions OF The Della
ware Workmen's Compensation law OF
1877 provides a quick and salts
factory method OF financial adjust
ment between employer and employee
in cases OF industrial accidents Is no
longer debataOle question. This is
equally true as between employer and
the dependents OF deceased employees.
The change from the former system
OF recovery OF damages based upon the
principle OF contrfbutory negligence
was affected without friction or pro
, test and practically no persons at all
have elected not 10 operate under the
provisions OF the Compensation Act.
There has been fine spirit OF Ca
operation on the part OF employers
and employees, and In the great
majority OF contested cases there has
been fair difference OF opnion as
10 the facts involved or the proper
construction OF the law.
''The Delaware Compensation Act
took effect January 4, 1913. During
the year 1918 the number OF accidents
reported TO the board was 6.iO7; 1853
in 1919; 6.2f0 in 1920. making a total
of 1890 accidents reported in the
three years. OF this number 2,i60
were compensate accidents. acci-
dents resulting in injuries causing in
capacity for work for "a days or
longer. Under the law accidents are
not compensabbe II The employe is
! cble 10 return TO work within "a days
} after the accident During this period
required 10 pay for the medical and
surgical care OF the employee 10 an
amount not exceeding SIS. The Board
has no means OF ascertaining the
, amount paid by employers and in
/ surance carriers for medical and sur
glval aid and assistance but this
amount has necessarily been large, be-
cause In all States amounts paid for
medical and surgical aid are important
I r. - L. r4.n Nna
pensation insurance. lhe maximum
OF S75 for medical and surgical aid and
assistance is adequate in a high per
centage OF industrial accidents,
though, OF course, not anywhere near
e enOtrgh IN cases necessstating major
7 operations OF extended hospital treat
a ment. It frequently happens in cases
= or minor injuries that the time limit OF
e fourteen days will have expired he
a fore complete recovery has been made
l while, at the same time, the maximum
l or S75 has not been expended for
: medical and surgical aid and assist
= ance.
J "This Is manifestly contrary 10 the
, intent OF the act and the Board wOuli
I recommend that 3i93 II, Section i0i,
! OF the act be amended by increasing
from two weeks to thirty days the
time limit during which the employer
! also by providing adequate hospital
service in cases requiring the same.
, -The compensate accidents report
: ed 10 the Board during the years 1913
1919 and 1870 resulted as follows
/ Deaths no; permanent total dsabil-
: ity, Q; permanent partial disability
! 6i: temporary total disability, 226S
/, Temporary. partial disability. 6; un-
determined. 3. The G. casAs OF per
manent partial disability are classified
D as follows: Loss OF one arm and one
foot, 4 loss OF one arm, 8: one hand
+ "a; one foot, 3: one leg, !; one eye
G -. The Delaware act provides thai
T. for the loss OF a hand, arm, foot, les
& or eye, the compensation. regardless oi
the earning power OF such injured
4 employe after such injury. shall b,
= flfty per centum OF wages during def
s mite periods OF time, varying from ii.
IS TO i9i weeks with a maximum OF 81;
per week.
c ''Tsle act docs not ns-ovfre a specin,
r. schedule FOR partial losses OF tht
l. above named members. COmpensatior
Y for such partial losses is based upor
s the earning power OF the injured en-
r. ploye after such injury. The de-
5. termination Of earning power" undei
such circumstances Is a very diflcul
matter. frequently little more thai
pure speculation. and dependent 10
l. great extent upon whether the inhr
A ed employe returns TO work for hi
~ former employer. or obtains emplov
% ment elsewhere. These difficulties an,
, uncertainties could he entirely oh
waited by providing compensation 10
, partial losses or members during defl
. nlte periods OF time, regardless OF IN
earning power Of the injured ON
ploye after such injury.
The board would therefor recon
mend that tho act be 50 amended
The Board believes that the enact
ment OF safety laws would reduc
Industrial accidents In Delaware an
lead TO further reduction in insuranc
S. rates From Its experience the boar