Court Opinion

ID: 9866514
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-26 13:10:43.759927+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:40:57.674085
License: Public Domain

On Motion for Rehearing.  Motion for rehearing has been filed in which the plaintiff (appellant) questions correctness of the opinion filed on several grounds. We are not persuaded the opinion is erroneous in any of the respects challenged and thus determining, ordinarily, we should feel moved to dispose of same by a formal order merely denying the motion. However, counsel for plaintiff questions the accuracy of a statement in the opinion mentioning his failure to challenge a declaration of opposing counsel at oral argument as to reason for withholding from entry for stated periods certain orders touching compensation. While not disputing that the declaration was made, he disclaims having heard same and points out that if he had heard it he would have been in no position to deny or affirm, not having represented the plaintiff at the trial. The language complained of appears in the following sentence from the original opinion, to wit: “While it is true the order signed by the court on February 13, 1945, was not actually entered until six months later, it was stated at oral argument without challenge, what an examination of the whole record seems to make plain, that the reason for withholding from entry not only this order but as well the earlier one entered December 12, 1944, for the periods indicated, was to give the plaintiff more time to make up his mind -and, perhaps, to become satisfied to undergo the proposed operation.” It is unfair to counsel to attach significance to his failure to deny something transpiring at a trial at which he was not present representing any of the parties. When we made the statement we overlooked this fact. Accordingly, and in fairness to counsel so much of the quoted language as makes mention of this circumstance is withdrawn. Neither counsel nor his client should be prejudiced by the former’s failure to deny something said to have transpired when he was not present. Of course, by the same token, the defendants should suffer no prejudice through substitution of counsel in giving meaning, characterization and effect to what transpired below when the plaintiff was represented by other counsel. We have no quarrel with counsel’s statement of the steps to he taken in ordinary sequence as a predicate to suspending or reducing- a workman’s compensation where he unwarrantably refuses to submit to surgical treatment found to be reasonably essential to improvement or recovery. Where counsel and the court differ is as to whether there had been a refusal by the plaintiff. If anything can be said to stand out in this record it is that court, counsel for defendants and the then counsel for plaintiff left the February, 1945, hearing faced with a refusal by plaintiff to submit to the operation which the judge announced from the bench he was recommending under penalty of a reduction in plaintiff’s compensation if he persisted in such refusal. The court said: “The Court: — (after argument by Mr. Brand) I do not see how I can do anything on this except to order a reduction in this man’s compensation. I believe eleven months is the longest time and reduce it to twenty-five percent after that if he refuses to take the operation. They would have to pay him all that time if he had it. “The Witness: — -I believe each one of these specialists should know what they are doing, and if they are wrong about one thing they could be about another, and I would want to know what the specific outcome of this operation would be. “The Court: — They both think you would have a very decided improvement.” The order hereinabove quoted was signed, bearing date February 13, 194'5, although withheld from entry until August 14, 1945, obviously with the thought that plaintiff, as indicated by the judge from the bench, might suffer a change of heart and submit to the operation. Of course, the matter should have been handled otherwise, to present the appearance of regularity and orderly sequence. But objection was not then taken in that behalf, or that plaintiff was not being given opportunity following entry of the order to elect whether to submit to the operation. In the mind of the court and all counsel he had already refused, even in the face of urgings from his own counsel, although as indicated the door continued to be held open for him for some time had he seen fit to enter through. Even now, in this court, while insisting upon the naked legal right to time a refusal to follow formal entry of the order which the judge announced from the bench he was making, present counsel can give no assurance, at least offers none, that if the cause should be remanded, the plaintiff would submit to the operation. It is significant that not once during various hearings below did plaintiff indicate a willingness to undergo same if approved by the court. In the face of pronounced unwillingness to do so as shown by his testimony, the then counsel may have thought it superfluous to inquire. The motion for rehearing will be denied and It is so ordered. BRICE, C. J., and LUJAN and COMPTON, JJ., concur. McGHEE, J., having tried the case below, did not participate.