Court Opinion

ID: 9585329
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:59:13.074551+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:38:48.805996
License: Public Domain

Felton, Chief Judge,
dissenting. The board found as a fact that the claimant became emotionally upset after a dispute between the claimant and her superiors, as a result of which she was discharged after a service of over 20 years. (As a consequence of the upset, the board found that claimant developed a conversion reaction which resulted in the paralysis of her left arm.) The claimant’s superiors requested the claimant to sign a statement to the effect that she was absent from work the Monday before without excuse; the claimant contended that she was not absent without permission because she was instructed not to report on Monday unless she was notified and that she was not notified. The board denied compensation for the reason that the paralysis of the arm was not preceded by a physical injury.
I think that the board too narrowly defined the word “accident.” Neither the event nor the consequence was planned. An injury such as that suffered in this case causes as much industrial loss as does one preceded by a physical injury. The paralysis here is physical even though emotionally caused. Even in tort cases damages are awarded where fright or emotional disturbance results in physical disability or injury and it seems to comport with reason and justice to widen the base for recovery where the disability is required to be a result of an accident. 1A Larson’s Workmen’s Compensation, § 42:20; Hall v. Doremus, 114 N. J. L. 47 (175 A 369); Charon’s Case, 321 Mass. 694 (75 NE2d 511); Burlington Mills Corporation v. Hagood, 177 Va. 204 (13 SE2d 291); 109 ALR Anno. p. 892; Miller v. Bingham County, 79 Idaho 87 (310 P 2d 1089); Geipe v. Collett, *316172 Md. 165 (190 A 836). I certainly could not agree with the finding in an Ohio ease which held that death produced by excitement only did not result from a physical injury. Industrial Commission v. O’Malley, 124 Ohio St. 401 (178 NE 842). The ruling in Indemnity Ins. Co. of North America v. Loftis, 103 Ga. App. 749 (120 SE2d 655) is not contrary to what I contend. As I interpret the board’s finding, it did not hold that there was no physical disability but only that a compensable disability has to be preceded by a physical disability. I further think that the conduct of the officials of the employer was exceedingly unreasonable in requiring the employee to admit a fault which she denied when the requirement was wholly unnecessary to protect the company’s right to control the employee’s record as to absences without leave, when absence without leave only affected the extent of vacation periods.