Court Opinion

ID: 9792897
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:38:54.389531+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:01:35.086073
License: Public Domain

VAN CISE, Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent.
The hearing officer found that the work being performed by decedent when he suffered his heart attack “was average work for a laborer and not significantly more demanding that the laboring work which the deceased had been accustomed to doing on previous jobs.” However, the officer found the exertion involved in decedent’s work to be unusual overexertion “in that it immediately followed a period of two and one-half to three months of cessation from the decedent’s normal work activities with a consequent deconditioning of his body.” These findings were approved by the Industrial Commission.
The majority opinion here affirms the Commission, finding that the focus in determining overexertion is an individual’s level of fitness, with consideration given to periods of unemployment and consequent de-conditioning. I disagree.
A finding of overexertion must be supported by proof “that decedent’s exertion was more than the exertion attendant upon the discharge of the normal and usual duties of the decedent” in his employment. Blood v. Industrial Commission, 165 Colo. 532, 440 P.2d 775 (1968); see Evans v. City & County of Denver, 165 Colo. 311, 438 P.2d 698 (1968); Baca County School District No. RE-6 v. Brown, 156 Colo. 562, 400 P.2d 663 (1965); Industrial Commission v. International Minerals & Chemical Corp., 132 Colo. 256, 287 P.2d 275 (1955). And, whether an employee’s actions constitute unusual or extraordinary overexertion depends on “the employee’s work history rather than the work patterns of his profession in general.” City & County of Denver v. Industrial Commission, 195 Colo. 431, 579 P.2d 80 (1978).
The above cases, when examined in composite, indicate that the proper focus in determining overexertion is on the duties being performed by the employee at the time of his heart attack, as compared with the normal and usual duties performed by him in his employment. In those cases where overexertion was found, the employee had been engaged in duties in excess of his normal and usual duties, and the excess involved increased exertion. See City and *715County of Denver v. Industrial Commission, supra; Baca County School District No. RE-6 v. Brown, supra. Conversely, in those cases where no overexertion was found, the employee was performing consistent with his normal and usual duties or was performing work which did not subject him to more exertion than his normal and usual duties. See Blood v. Industrial Commission, supra; Evans v. City and County of Denver, supra; Industrial Commission v. International Minerals & Chemicals Corp., supra. In fact, both in cases denying recovery, and in those allowing recovery, the focus was on the activities being performed, not the physical condition of the employee, despite the fact that the various employees had suffered previous heart attacks, had chronic heart disease, or had chronic lung disease.
Accordingly, when determining overexertion by examining the employee’s work history, periods of unemployment and consequent deeonditioning should not be considered. Obviously, more exertion would be required when resuming normal work activities after a period of minimal exertion during unemployment. By adopting the majority’s position, the test becomes too subjective. Carried to the extreme, all heart attacks could become compensable if they occurred following an employee’s vacation, illness, or even a weekend of rest and relaxation.
Here, in considering this employee’s work history, the hearing officer concluded that the work he was performing was “not significantly more demanding than the laboring work which the deceased had been accustomed to doing on previous jobs.” This finding precludes a finding of overexertion.
That an employee suffers a chronic disease or has been unemployed and is out of condition does not make performance of his normal and usual duties an unusual overexertion. Here, decedent’s death was the result of normal exertion superimposed upon his heart condition and lack of condition. “It may be accepted as true that some exertion probably hastened the death; however, there is exertion in all forms of manual labor and the requirements of law in such cases are that there must be more than mere exertion.... ” Industrial Commission v. International Minerals & Chemical Corp., supra.
I would set aside the order.