Opinion ID: 1720559
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Appellants contend claimant's evidence was insufficient to establish a causal connection between his psychotic condition and the injury of December 15, 1960.

Text: The factual findings of the industrial commissioner or in this instance, his deputy, have the same standing as a jury verdict and if they are supported by sufficient evidence they are binding upon us in the absence of fraud. Swain v. Monona County, Iowa et al., Iowa, 163 N.W.2d 918, filed January 14, 1969 and citations. We turn to the evidence. The claimant, Kenneth Coghlan, was born November 18, 1924. He was in the United States Armed Forces from June 25, 1943 until July 29, 1944 when he received an honorable medical discharge. His disability was diagnosed as psychosis, manicdepressive service connected. He was on total disability, gradually reduced to no disability by 1946. He began working for the Quinn Wire and Iron Works on October 23, 1950, as a laborer. On December 15, 1960, while prying with an iron bar, he wrenched his back for which he received compensation. He was hospitalized for a time and returned to work some time in February of 1961. On October 10, 1961, claimant was admitted to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Des Moines, where he remained until November 2, 1961, under psychiatric care. As part of the history at that admission, he stated that the left side of his body hurt, that he had headaches, and was unable to work. He also stated that he hurt his back about one year ago. He thereafter returned to work in November for two weeks. He was rehospitalized on January 15, 1962, and remained under psychiatric care for manic-depressive reaction until November 10, 1963. On the admission a part of the history includes lower vertebral tenderness and claimant has had a back ache since a work injury in 1960. After his release he worked in a sheltered environment for his son-in-law. On April 30, 1964, claimant was admitted after drinking two pints of gasoline in an attempted suicide. Since this admission claimant has been vacillating between institutionalization and day care of a psychiatric nature. Dr. Howard V. Turner, board certified psychiatrist, and consultant to the Veterans Administration Hospital, was called by the claimant and testified that in his opinion the trauma of December 15, 1960 aggravated an already precarious emotional status and excited it to the point that it became disabling clinically. He further testified that the claimant is now unemployable and will never be able to seek gainful employment. Substantially the same opinions were expressed by Marian Squire, a psychiatric social worker, who has been in charge of the claimant's day care since November 8, 1965. Although there is evidence from which the deputy commissioner might have determined there was no causal connection between the back injury and the psychotic condition, Dr. Turner's evidence amply supports the finding of a causal connection. Our question is not whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant a decision the commissioner did not make, but rather whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant the decision he did make. Musselman v. Central Telephone Company, Iowa, 154 N.W.2d 128, 130; Wagner v. Otis Radio & Electric Co., 254 Iowa 990, 994, 119 N.W. 2d 751, 753. There was sufficient evidence to support the deputy commissioner's finding of a causal connection between claimant's industrial injury and his psychotic condition. For the reasons stated the case is affirmed. Affirmed. GARFIELD, C.J., and SNELL, MOORE, MASON, RAWLINGS and BECKER, JJ., concur. LeGRAND, J., concurs in result. LARSON, J., is of the opinion the evidence of causal connection is insufficient and therefore dissents.