Case Name: Before State Industrial Commission, Respondent. In the Matter of the Claim of Philip J. Benjamin, Respondent, for Compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Law, v. Rosenberg Brothers, Alleged Employer, and United States Casualty Company, Alleged Insurance Carrier, Appellant
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1917-11-28
Citations: 180 A.D. 234
Docket Number: 
Parties: Before State Industrial Commission, Respondent. In the Matter of the Claim of Philip J. Benjamin, Respondent, for Compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Law, v. Rosenberg Brothers, Alleged Employer, and United States Casualty Company, Alleged Insurance Carrier, Appellant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 180
Pages: 234–240

Head Matter:
Before State Industrial Commission, Respondent. In the Matter of the Claim of Philip J. Benjamin, Respondent, for Compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Law, v. Rosenberg Brothers, Alleged Employer, and United States Casualty Company, Alleged Insurance Carrier, Appellant.
Third Department,
November 28, 1917.
Workmen’s Compensation Law — review by Appellate Division of findings of Commission — credibility of witnesses — establishment of relation of employer and employee.
Under section 20 of the Workmen’s Compensation Law, the Appellate Division cannot review the determination of the State Industrial Commission on a finding of fact, if there is evidence to sustain it, although the court believes the testimony to be untrue. The credibility of the witnesses is a question of fact and rests with the Commission.
Finding of the Commission that the claimant was an “ employee ” affirmed, although the evidence, in the judgment of the court, supporting said finding is not convincing.
Woodward and Sewell, JJ., dissented, with opinion.
Appeal by the defendant, United States Casualty Company, from an award of the State Industrial Commission, entered in the office of said Commission on the 13th day of March, 1917.
William H. Hotchkiss, for the appellant.
Merton E. Lewis, Attorney-General [E. C. Aiken, Deputy Attorney-General, of counsel] and Robert W. Bonynge, counsel to State Industrial Commission, for the respondents.

Opinion:
Kellogg, P. J.:
The Commission has found that the claimant was an employee of Rosenberg Brothers and the testimony, if believed, clearly shows that such was the fact. In my judgment the evidence is not convincing; the transaction is suspicious. It seems that the claimant and his witnesses were trying to swear a liability upon the insurance company when none in fact existed, and if this were a case where we could review the facts I would vote to reverse the award. The Commission saw the witnesses and we have not seen them. The mandate of the law that we cannot review the determination of the Commission on a finding of fact, if there is evidence to sustain it, precludes a further consideration of the case. The only question involved in the case is the credibility of the witnesses. The words of their evidence fully comply with the law and cover the situation. The credibility of a witness is a question of fact and rests with the trior of the facts, and we cannot reverse the award because we believe the testimony is untrue. Under the restraint of section 20 of the Workmen's Compensation Law I favor an affirmance.
All concurred, except Woodward, J., dissenting in opinion, in which Sewell, J., concurred.