Opinion ID: 1914631
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Was claimant's claim for medical services barred by laches or estoppel, the one and two-year statutes of limitations provided by the Mississippi Workmen's Compensation Act, or the three-year statute and six-year general statute of limitations?

Text: The only two limitation periods provided for by the Workmen's Compensation Act are the two-year statute of limitations [§ 71-3-35(1) MCA (1972)] and the one-year statute of limitations [§ 71-3-53 MCA (1972)]. Section 71-3-35(1) provides: (1) No claim for compensation shall be maintained unless, within thirty (30) days after the occurrence of the injury, actual notice was received by the employer or by an officer, manager, or designated representative of an employer. If no representative has been designated by posters placed in one or more conspicuous places, then notice received by any superior shall be sufficient. Absence of notice shall not bar recovery if it is found that the employer had knowledge of the injury and was not prejudiced by the employee's failure to give notice. Regardless of whether notice was received, if no payment of compensation (other than medical treatment or burial expense) is made and no application for benefits filed with the commission within two years from the date of the injury or death, the right to compensation therefor shall be barred. This statute of limitations has no application to the case at bar because compensation benefits were paid unto claimant. See Yazoo Mfg. Co. v. Schaffer, 254 Miss. 35, 179 So.2d 784 (1965). Section 71-3-53 provides: Upon its own initiative or upon the application of any party in interest on the ground of a change in conditions or because of a mistake in a determination of fact, the commission may, at any time prior to one (1) year after date of the last payment of compensation, whether or not a compensation order has been issued, or at any time prior to one (1) year after the rejection of a claim, review a compensation case, issue a new compensation order which may terminate, continue, reinstate, increase, or decrease such compensation, or award compensation. Such new order shall not affect any compensation previously paid, except that an award increasing the compensation rate may be made effective from the date of the injury; and if any part of the compensation due or to become due is unpaid, an award decreasing the compensation rate may be made effective from the date of the injury, and any payment made prior thereto in excess of such decreased rate shall be deducted from any unpaid compensation in such manner and by such method as may be determined by the commission. The parties stipulated that appellant paid medical expenses up to and including the month when claimant petitioned to be furnished nursing services. The payment of these expenses constituted a payment of compensation for the purpose of tolling the one-year statute of limitations. See Graeber Bros., Inc. v. Taylor, 237 Miss. 691, 115 So.2d 735 (1959), sugg. of error overruled 237 Miss. 702, 117 So.2d 469 (1960); and Cox v. International Harvester Co., 221 So.2d 924 (Miss. 1969). Claimant's petition in the present case was not barred by any statute of limitations applicable to workmen's compensation claims. The defenses of laches, the three-year statute of limitations and the six-year general statute of limitations have no application to the case at bar.