Opinion ID: 1816753
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to report the alleged incident.

Text: In support of his finding that no incident occurred at work, the examiner found that while Henke transported him to the hospital, Erickson made a reference to having a pain in his back and leg and indicated that the trouble had arisen while on his vacation trip. There is no support in the evidence for this finding. Henke denied that he drove Erickson to the hospital and Erickson later admitted he was not sure it was Henke who had driven him. Henke's testimony about his conversation with Erickson concerning the pain he had had while on vacation related to a conversation which occurred prior to the time Erickson began working on August 23, 1967, and prior to the time the alleged incident occurred. The testimony of Henke, with regard to the conversation before the alleged incident at work, tended only to prove that Erickson had experienced pain prior to the alleged incident. Henke's only testimony concerning the conversation before Erickson was admitted to the plant hospital was that Erickson did not relate to him at that time any incident which had occurred at work. The testimony tended only to prove that Erickson did not immediately report the incident to Henke. The facts are also in dispute as to whether Erickson reported the incident at the plant hospital. Erickson testified that he told the nurse there he had been hurt and how it happened. The nurse in charge of the plant hospital testified that Erickson came to the hospital on August 23, 1967, and stated he was having pains in his leg and could not finish out the day. She also testified Erickson did not indicate there had been any occurrence or fall causing the pain. However, she admitted that she did not personally hear him make any statements and that the statements were made to another nurse. The testimony of the nurse was objected to but was admitted by the examiner, subject to exception. The examiner made a positive finding on the basis of the nurse's testimony, . . . that the applicant had also reported to the first aid department relative to experiencing sciatic pain in his leg that day and requested some medication and that at that time there was no reference to a fall while carrying a timber; . . . This testimony was hearsay, being testimony as to what another nurse stated Erickson had said or omitted to say, and was, therefore, not properly considered by the examiner. In Wisconsin Telephone Co. v. Industrial Comm. (1953), 263 Wis. 380, 385, 57 N. W. 2d 334, this court held that hearsay testimony may not be the basis of a finding by the industrial commission. In Outagamie County v. Brooklyn (1962), 18 Wis. 2d 303, 118 N. W. 2d 201, the court held that in hearings before administrative agencies hearsay testimony should not be received over objection where direct testimony of the same fact is obtainable. The first aid treatment record itself was not introduced into evidence and there was no showing that the nurse who talked with Erickson could not be produced. Erickson testified that he had asked his employer for the name of the nurse who had treated him, but this information was refused. Excluding the testimony of the nurse, which was improperly included in the examiner's findings of fact, the testimony of Erickson that he reported the incident to the nurse who attended him at the plant hospital is unimpeached. Erickson's testimony that he reported the incident to Dr. Broderick the following day is also unimpeached. This testimony is corroborated by a notation in the hospital record which reveals that Dr. Broderick's tentative diagnosis at the time Erickson was admitted to the hospital on August 24, 1967, was Traumatic sciatica, left leg. Dr. Broderick's history of the illness, which is also part of the hospital record, also reveals that Erickson reported to him about the incident at work: History of present illness: The patient returned several weeks ago from a trip to the west and returned to work. He works at B. O. W. plant as a carpenter. There, he lifted two 2 by 4's at a time and sustained sudden, intense, pain in the back which knocked him to his knees. Since then he has had intractable pain in the left leg running down the course of the sciatic nerve. Dr. Sachtjen's consultation record of examining Erickson on September 4, 1967, shows that Erickson also reported to him the incident occurring at work: . . . HPIHe reports that several weeks ago he took a trip to the black hills. He noted some stiffness and tiredness in the back and questionable something in the leg. However, approximately 2 weeks ago while in the employ of BOW he was lifting some timber when he experienced an acute leg symptomatology and brought him to his knees and he was unable to work since that time. . . . Thus, the only evidence concerning Erickson's failure to report the incident was the testimony of Henke that he did not report the incident to him immediately after it occurred. Appellants contend that the failure to report an incident creates an inference that it never occurred. Appellants cite Reich v. ILHR Department (1968), 40 Wis. 2d 244, 255, 161 N. W. 2d 878. However, in that case while there was testimony that the applicant failed to report the incident both at work and to her physician, as well as other inconsistencies in the testimony, this court held the evidence was not such that the department could find a legitimate doubt existed that the incident occurred.