Court Opinion

ID: 9863018
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-25 02:49:55.842499+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:46:05.035758
License: Public Domain

Harris, C. J. and George Rose Smith, J. (dissenting). I would likewise reverse the case, for I agree with the majority on Point II, listed as “Refusal to Allow a Letter for Impeachment.” However, I disagree with the majority on the other two points, which are also listed as reasons for reversal. I think it was entirely proper for the doctor to read from a medical textbook. As stated in 100 C.J.S., Workmen’s Compensation, § 537, p. 539: “Since a compensation tribunal may not be bound to observe or follow the technical or strict rules as to the admissibility of evidence, as discussed supra § 525, such a tribunal has great leeway in the acceptance or rejection of medical testimony, and medical testimony may be admitted in a compensation proceeding although the same evidence would not be admitted were the case other than a compensation proceeding. It may be proper in a compensation proceeding to permit a physician to read a statement from a medical book, and the quotation may be competent evidence if the physician testifying represents the quotation to be an accurate statement of medical knowledge on the subject.” I also disagree with the majority in permitting the case to be reopened. The matter of taking additional proof should properly lie within the discretion of the Commission, and I see no abuse of discretion in this instance. Counsel for appellant received, in advance of the final hearing, a copy of Dr. Kahn’s report, and thus knew what the doctor would testify to. In other words, the testimony was not a surprise, and appellant was afforded every opportunity to cross-examine the neutral witness. The majority quotation from C.J.S. refers to court trials. It seems to be that, under the majority holding, the Commission will never feel that it can close a case, as long as one party is requesting the right to offer additional evidence. This simply means that the claim for compensation can drag on interminably. In my opinion, the Commission did not abuse its discretion in refusing to permit additional evidence. I am authorized to state that Mr. Justice George Rose Smith joins in this concurrence and dissent.