Court Opinion

ID: 9628307
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 09:16:36.607061+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:07:03.497965
License: Public Domain

OPINION LOPEZ, Judge. Plaintiffs appeal a summary judgment against them granted by the district court in a case brought under the Workmen’s Compensation Act, §§ 52-1-1 to 52-1-69, N.M.S.A.1978 and the New Mexico Occupational Disease Disablement Law, §§ 52-3 — 1 to 52-3-59, N.M.S.A.1978, hereafter referred to as the Occupational Disablement Law. The issue on appeal is whether § 37 — 1—14, N.M.S.A.1978, which provides that a second suit may be deemed a continuation of a prior action, is applicable in workmen’s compensation and occupational disablement cases. Plaintiffs were employed by defendant Richard Shube from June to October, 1975. On July 20, 1976, plaintiffs filed suit requesting relief under the Occupational Disablement Law, the Workmen’s Compensation Act, and with common law claims sounding in tort and products’ liability. The district court dismissed the statutory claims without prejudice on December 23, 1976. Plaintiffs appealed to this court, and we dismissed the case on September 6,1977, for lack of jurisdiction. Ortega v. Transamerica Insurance Co., 91 N.M. 31, 569 P.2d 957 (Ct.App.1977). About three weeks after the district court dismissed their claims, plaintiffs filed a second suit, only alleging this time that they were entitled to compensation under the Workmen’s Compensation Act and Occupational Disablement Law. Appellees moved for summary judgment, which was granted. The second suit was dismissed with prejudice by the district court on January 8, 1979, apparently because the statute of limitations had run before the suit was filed on January 13, 1977. Both the Workmen’s Compensation Act and the Occupational Disablement Law have a one year statute of limitations. Sections 52-1-31 and 52-3-16, N.M.S.A.1978. Although first filed in July of 1976, the plaintiffs’ statutory claims have not yet been heard on the merits.  Before turning to the issue in this case, we must consider appellees’ contention that the order entered is not a final order, and so not appealable. Appellees maintain that summary judgment was not granted on all of the issues raised by appellants. They assert that appellants separately requested medical benefits and that this request was not mentioned in the summary judgment. This argument is without merit. Appellants never mentioned medical benefits in their complaint, but simply sought a determination of benefits under the Workmen’s Compensation Act and the Occupational Disablement Law. Summary judgment was entered, dismissing with prejudice both claims for benefits. Summary Judgment is a final order. Pederson v. Lothman, 63 N.M. 364, 320 P.2d 378 (1958), and final orders are appealable. N.M.R.Civ. App. 3(a)(1), N.M.S.A.1978. This suit is properly before us.  Appellants argue that § 37-1-14, a general continuation of actions statute, is applicable in workmen’s compensation cases. That section states: If, after the commencement of an action, the plaintiff fail therein for any cause, except negligence in its prosecution, and a new suit be commenced within six months thereafter, the second suit shall, for the purposes herein contemplated, be deemed a continuation of the first. This section is part of Laws 1880, ch. 5. The 1880 statute contains several sections providing time periods within which certain designated claims may be brought, but none of these relate to workmen’s compensation or occupational disablement. Yet, but for another section of the 1880 law, § 37-1-14 would apply to cases brought under the Workmen’s Compensation Act and Occupational Disablement Law. The other pertinent section of the 1880 statute is § 37-1-17, N.M.S.A.1978, which states: None of the preceding provisions of this chapter shall apply to any action or suit which, by any particular statute of this state, is limited to be commenced within a different time, nor shall this chapter be construed to repeal any existing statute of this state which provides a limitation of any action; but in such cases the limitation shall be as provided by such statutes. The Workmen’s Compensation Act provides a one year limitation on the commencement of an action. * * * [I]t is the duty of the workman insisting on the payment of compensation to file a claim therefor as provided in the Workmen’s Compensation Act, not later than one year after the failure or refusal of the employer or insurer to pay compensation.....[I]f the workman fails to file a claim for compensation within the time required by this section, his claim for compensation, all his right to the recovery of compensation and the bringing of any legal proceeding for the recovery of compensation are forever barred. Section 52-l-31(A), N.M.S.A.1978. A similar provision is found in the Occupational Disablement Law. Section 52-3-16(A) and (B), N.M.S.A.1978. While the issue of whether § 37 — 1—17 bars § 37-1-14 from application in workmen’s compensation cases has not been decided previously, the Supreme Court has said that the statute of limitations of the Workmen’s Compensation Act, quoted above, must be strictly construed. Where a statute grants a new remedy, and at the same time places a limitation of time within which the person complaining must act, the limitation is a limitation of the right as well as the remedy, and in the absence of qualifying provisions or saving clauses, the party seeking to avail himself of the remedy must bring himself strictly within the limitations. Swallows v. City of Albuquerque, 61 N.M. 265, 266, 298 P.2d 945, 946-47 (1956). In Swallows, the Court held that the statute of limitations in the Workmen’s Compensation Act is not tolled by the adjudication and appeal of an initial claim under the Act which fail due to a technicality. The same result was reached in Fresquez v. Farnsworth & Chambers Co., 238 F.2d 709 (10th Cir. 1956). While the federal district court in that case noted the existence of the general continuation of actions statute in New Mexico, it held that the one year statute of limitations in the Workmen’s Compensation Act barred a second suit begun after the expiration of that year. Section 37-1-17 prevents the other provisions of the 1880 law from applying to wrongful death actions. Natseway v. Jojola, 56 N.M. 793, 251 P.2d 274 (1952); Perry v. Staver, 81 N.M. 766, 473 P.2d 380 (Ct.App.1970). In Perry, this court held the general continuation of actions statute, § 37-1-14 (then codified as § 23-1-14, N.M. S.A.1953) was rendered ineffective by § 37-1-17 (formerly § 23-1-17, N.M.S.A.1953) in wrongful death suits. This result was necessitated by the existence of a specific statute of limitations in the Wrongful Death Act, § 41-2-2, N.M.S.A.1978 (formerly § 22-20-2, N.M.S.A.1953). Since there was no saving clause in the Wrongful Death Act which would allow the statute of limitations to be extended, § 37-1-14 could not be used in wrongful death actions. We hold that § 37-1-17 prohibits § 37-1-14 from applying in workmen’s compensation and occupational disablement cases. Both the Workmen’s Compensation Act and the Occupational Disablement Law contain specific statutes of limitations, §§ 52-1-31 and 52-3 — 16 supra. Neither act provides a saving clause allowing for an extension of the specified time limit for filing a claim. The court is powerless to change the plain meaning of the statutes. * * * [T]he courts cannot provide a saving clause or create an exception where the statute contains none. Natseway, supra at 798, 251 P.2d at 277. The one year time period within which a claim must be brought under the Workmen’s Compensation Act and the Occupational Disablement Law had elapsed by the time plaintiffs instituted this second suit on January 13, 1977. Because this time period is not extended by the general continuation of actions statute, the trial court correctly granted summary judgment dismissing the complaint. Summary judgment is proper when there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. N.M.R.Civ.P. 56(c), N.M.S.A.1978, Goodman v. Brock, 83 N.M. 789, 498 P.2d 676 (1972).  Although the issue of the propriety of the trial court’s dismissal without prejudice of the workmen’s compensation and occupational disablement claims in the first case is not at issue on this appeal, we believe it appropriate to point out that our opinion in the first appeal, 91 N.M. 31, 569 P.2d 957, supra, did not reach the merits because there was no appealable order. We believe it is also appropriate to state that the district court proceeded incorrectly. Under Rule 18 of the New Mexico Rules of Civil Procedure, N.M.S.A.1978, plaintiffs had a right to join all of the claims arising out of their alleged injuries. Cf. Sentry Insurance Co. v. Gallegos, 87 N.M. 249, 531 P.2d 1222 (Ct.App.), cert. denied, 87 N.M. 239, 531 P.2d 1212 (1975) (allowing defendant-employee to counterclaim against plaintiff-employer for workmen’s compensation benefits). N.M.R.Civ.P. 21, N.M.S.A.1978 permits multiple claims to be severed. The trial court erred in dismissing the statutory claims without prejudice in the first suit, when it merely should have severed them from the other claims. See dissent of Judge Sutin in the first appeal, 91 N.M. 31, supra, at 34, 569 P.2d at 960. The lengthy delay in hearing the merits of plaintiffs’ case would have been avoided; and the intent of the workmen’s compensation laws to adjudicate claims quickly, as evidenced by the short statutes of limitations in the Workmen’s Compensation Act and the Occupational Disablement Law, would have been furthered. Based upon the discussion concerning appellants’ second suit, the only case now before us, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed. IT IS SO ORDERED. WOOD, C. J., concurs.