Court Opinion

ID: 9741113
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:49:38.348319+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:22.358225
License: Public Domain

SAND, Judge.
(Concurring specially with modification.)
The proposed opinion properly concludes that the injury sustained by the employee is compensable under the North Dakota Workmen’s Compensation Act. With this I agree. However, the opinion does not, but should, give recognition to § 65-05-15, N.D. C.C., which relates to the aggravation of an injury or a disease existing prior to a com-pensable injury and provides that the benefits be pro-rated on a proportional basis depending upon the extent of the aggravation which is determined from all the facts surrounding the incident. The workmen’s compensation benefits would be proportionate to the disability arising from the aggravation of the prior disease or injury as may reasonably be attributable to the compensa-ble injury.
Section 65-05-15 has been considered by the North Dakota Supreme Court in Bender v. North Dakota Workmen’s Compensation Bureau, 139 N.W.2d 150 (1965), where it was recognized and applied, and in Tweten v. North Dakota Workmen’s Compensation Bureau, 69 N.D. 369, 287 N.W. 304 (1939), where it was briefly discussed. In Tweten *895this Court stated: “The above quoted statutory provision applies only to the aggravation of an existing disease; it does not require or permit a structural weakness to be considered in the allowance of compensation.”
The authors Larson and Schneider on Workmen’s Compensation discuss generally aggravation provisions, but they are not very helpful because the footnotes as to the North Dakota provisions refer to either § 65-01-02(9)(d), which was enacted by Chapter 388 of the 1961 Session Laws, relating to presumptions of certain disease in case of a fireman, or to § 65-04-18 relating to subsequent injury fund. Unfortunately, neither of the authors discuss § 65-05 — 15, which is a pertinent provision of the North Dakota Act, even though it was not part of the original Act and did not come into being until 1931.
The extent of the aggravation is basically a medical fact question to be resolved by the agency under appropriate rules of law. Even though it may be difficult in some instances to determine with exact precision the extent of the aggravation and the resulting proportionate benefits, nevertheless the statute contemplates that a reasonable effort be made.
This difficulty of apportioning the aggravation of an existing disease may have been recognized by the Bureau and may be the reason why Senate Bill 2125 was introduced in the Forty-fourth Legislative Assembly, which would have amended § 65-05-15 and would have provided that in all aggravation cases partial benefit awards would be on a fifty percent basis except where the claimant had no private medical or hospital insurance, in which instance the Bureau would pay the total amount of the medical expense. The Bill received a “do pass” by the committee, but on final passage was defeated by a vote of 23 ayes and 27 nays. The Senate Journal does not indicate or give any reason why the Bill was defeated. Consequently, any explanation here would be speculation, which would have no greater value than to speculate what the result would have been if a Bill had been introduced providing for one hundred percent benefits.
The facts (particularly the autopsy report) in this case clearly show that Stout had a pre-existing disease, as such term is defined in § 65-01-02(8)(a), and as further defined in subsection (9)(a), (b), and (c).
Were it not for the provisions of § 65-05-15, I would agree that there would be no need for further comment, but until the Legislature modifies, amends, repeals, or supersedes it, this statutory provision must be recognized.
On this basis I would remand the claim to the Bureau for appropriate action pursuant to the provisions of § 65-05-15, N.D.C.C.
ERICKSTAD, C. J., concurs.