Court Opinion

ID: 9573549
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:56:39.871761+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:41:35.842704
License: Public Domain

Otis, Justice
(dissenting).
Decedent, a welder aged 60, suffered a fatal heart attack at his home on December 7, 1969. The issue is whether his death was caused by his employment.
On August 9, 1969, decedent was involved in an automobile accident which was not work related. He suffered two fractured ribs, remained in the hospital for three days, and did not return to work for six weeks. On October 2,1969, whén his doctor took X-rays, or on the following day, decedent complained that he was suffering from numbness in his fingers.
The decedent’s widow testified that after his automobile accident he tired easily and stopped taking his usual walks. He went to bed right after getting home from work, not stopping to converse with her as was his custom. His habit of arising in the morning to make his wife’s coffee also ceased. On December 1, 1969, the Monday before his death, his wife observed the decedent showing evidence of even greater fatigue and resting' more than usual. He became less active, appeared pale, and on Friday complained about his right side and was reluctant to go to work. His appetite was poor; he ate breakfast later than usual and had a light lunch. When he returned from work he was tired, walked slowly and appeared ashen. He awoke often during the night and *46was restless. On Saturday he was pale and drawn, picked at his food, and when he returned from work his skin was clammy and he shuffled when he walked. He took a pain pill and a sleeping pill but got up frequently during the night. He died the next morning.
On Wednesday and Thursday prior to his death decedent assembled 28 and 45 rake wheels respectively, each weighing 10 pounds. On both Friday and Saturday he assembled 20 tork tubes, consisting of a basic tube weighing 35 pounds to which 43 pounds of parts were added. A compressed air hoist was available for lifting.
At the compensation hearing, two doctors gave medical testimony. Raymond W. Scallon, a specialist in cardiology, testified that the decedent’s fatal heart attack was not caused by his work but resulted from natural degeneration.
“Q. And do you have an opinion as to the cause of the recent hemorrhage or likely cause?
“A. I believe this fits in well with the generally accepted hypotheses of how coronary artery disease progression is. That this is a degenerative phenomenon.
“Q. What actually is the hemorrhage; what causes it and what does it consist of?
“A. The hemorrhage usually occurs in an area of preceding disease and is associated with these degenerative plaques; hemorrhage will occur and then the natural reaction of the body to injury will take place and clot and fibrous tissue will form in the areas of hemorrhage and these in turn will pick up some of the fat and other substances that are floating through the blood stream and the plaque will enlarge or get larger. This is one of the oldest theories proposed by a gentleman, Rokatansky, for the natural development of coronary artery disease.”
Dr. Marvin S. Segal, an internist with a background in cardiology, agreed that the decedent had an advanced case of atherosclerosis and had had a previous myocardial infarction. With that background he was of the opinion that the exertion *47required by decedent’s Friday and Saturday work activities was the cause of the fatal attack. However, he went on to testify as follows:
“Q. What you’re telling us then, Doctor, is you feel that there was greater exertion on Friday and Saturday; that you can’t say how much greater and you really can’t give us any specific formula for making that determination.
“A. Yes.”
I concur in the views expressed by Commissioner James Pomush, who said:
“The record indicates that the employee had been very tired since his automobile accident of 1969 and that his health continued to decline since that time. I find nothing in the record of substance to indicate that there is any relationship between the employee’s work and his heart attack.”
The evidence most favorable to respondent falls far short of sustaining her burden of proving a causal connection between decedent’s employment and his death. The mere fact an employee develops a degenerative heart condition while holding down a job does not constitute proof that his disability was work related. Koflat v. Northern Ordnance Co. 274 Minn. 104, 142 N. W. 2d 588 (1966). Unhappily a great number of employees in every walk of life contract heart conditions which are congenital or attributable to diet or their lifestyle and are wholly unrelated to their working conditions. The mere fortuity of being employed at the time of a fatal heart attack does not confer a right to compensation. There must be a showing that the employee would not have been stricken but for the activity necessitated by his employment.
In the absence of any such proof I would adopt the opinion of Commissioner Pomush and would reverse.