Court Opinion

ID: 9610619
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 03:43:57.414893+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:51:26.333355
License: Public Domain

STANFORD, Justice
(dissenting).
The testimony of Dr. G. B. Stewart, who is one of the leading surgeons of Pinal County, was not, in the' majority opinion, quoted as to its most important part, and I quote therefrom:
“Q. That’s what I wanted to find out. In other words, in your opinion, if he hadn’t undergone these injuries and so forth he did on that night, you feel he would have every reason to be alive and working today ?
“A. That is my honest opinion. I think that is true.”
As will be noted from the majority opinion, Dr. Rosenthal never said that there was no relationship between the severe kicking in the side and stomach and the resulting death. I quote from the autopsy report to the commission: “From-the clinical history obtained it appeared that the subject was said to be recovering satisfactorily from the bullet wound sustained several days previously and no anatomical relationship between this wound and the rupture of the aneurysm of the aorta could be established a.t the postmortem examination.”
Again Dr. Rosenthal, in his report to the Industrial Commission, and as quoted in the majority opinion, said: “The new evidence submitt(ed) concerning this case has been considered. However, in view of the fact of the time elapsed following the “gunshot wound and the sudden onset of the abdominal symptoms, it would appear that no definite causal relationship could’ be established between the trauma sustained of the left shoulder and the sudden rupture of the arteriosclerotic aortic-aneurism.”
Clearly, what Dr. Rosenthal had in mind was the shooting through the left shoulder and not the kicking in the body and stomach, that bore no- relationship to the death of Hewett.
Mrs. Alice L. Hewett, wife of deceased, testified in the case and said, in telling what her husband told her when he was first hurt:
*211“Q. Did he tell you where they had kicked him?
“A. Yes, he complained that his left side, and stomach hurt him all the time.
“Q. And is that the same area he complained of hurting when you returned him to the hospital February 10th?
“A. Yes, sir.”
James V. Eaves, deputy sheriff, testified that on the morning of the robbery, Hewett related to him some of the incidents as follows: “* * * And he said that he shot back and missed and the negro with the gun, taking the gun away from him, knocked him down, then kicked him in the side, made him get up to take the money out of the cash register. * * *.”
A. N. Luper, who with E. S. Schupp, drove to the station to get gas, and were also robbed, testified that after Hewett had been taken to the deputy sheriff’s office and returned to the station temporarily :
“Q. What portions of his body, from your observations at the time, appeared to be bothering him ? ,
“A. Most of the time while we were talking there he had—he was holding his stomach. He had both hands like this (indicating) and he was sort of in a crouch.”
Evidence of the fact that Hewett was kicked in the abdominal region a.s well as the side is many times corroborated and is no where contradicted. The testimony concerning this matter also indicated that he suffered considerably from such blows.
The only medical evidence which could be interpreted to indicate that the death was not brought about or hastened by the effects of all of the injuries sustained, is Dr. Moore’s final report, quoted in the majority opinion. In submitting this report, Dr. Moore apparently entertained some doubt as to whether Hewett actually had received the blows to the abdomen and side, and this report on the whole shows a somewhat vague concept of the evidence of circumstances surrounding the death brought out at the hearing. At no time does he make an unequivocal statement that the combined effects of the injuries on Hewett’s physical condition in no manner hastened or contributed to the death, as contrasted with Dr. Stewart’s testimony above quoted and also the following: “Well, the nervous system, blood vessels, the size of them, the caliber is governed by the nervous system. Any thing that would produce undue tension would have a tendency to contract, make the vessel wall contract. In the process of contracting a thin wall, you might make the thing rupture. * *. * ”
And again: “ * * * That nervous tension, regardless of what it might be from, has a tendency to accentuate or exaggerate any circulatory disturbance.”
It must be noted that there is no conflict in the medical evidence as to the immediate cause of death, the rupture of *212the aneurysm, and the over-all picture presented by the reports of Drs. Moore and Rosenthal, is, as pointed out in the majority opinion, to the effect that the rupture was not traumatically induced. With this Dr. Stewart does not find fault, but while Drs. Moore and Rosenthal fail to express any opinion as to the cause of the rupture, Dr. Stewart’s opinion was that it was induced by the disturbances of the nervous and circulatory system which resulted from the combined effects of all the injuries sustained.
As Dr. Moore’s last report contains the only medical opinion upon which the award could have been based, which even approaches the inclusion of all of the factors involved in the injury and death, the commission of necessity must have based its conclusion on this one report. Even if the material in this report could without reserve be interpreted so as to support the conclusions of the commission, this I think would be highly illogical and unjustified. In our case of Tachner v. Industrial Commission, cited in the majority opinion, this court said: " * * * The commission should, and must, give due weight and consideration to the opinion of the medical board, but it is not bound by its conclusions, particularly where the conclusions are wholly unsupported by the actual facts, or, as here, contrary to the medical history and findings. It is the medical findings rather than the conclusion which constitute evidence. Obviously, the conclusion or opinion which is counter to the actual facts or findings, and which on the face of the record is illogical and without support, cannot be treated as reasonable evidence.” [62 Ariz. 333, 157 P.2d 610.]
It seems to be accepted by all the medical experts herein that the aneurysm was a condition existing prior to the shooting, and from Hunter v. Wm. Peper Const. Co., 46 Ariz. 465, 52 P.2d 472, 474, I quote: “ * * * It is of course true, under our decisions, that if some form of physical injury aggravates any already existing physical disease or condition, the injured workman is entitled to compensation to the extent of the disability caused thereby in the same manner as though his condition had been produced originally and directly by the injury. (Citing cases.)”
The majority opinion is unjust and unfortunately leaves a widow who, by the record, is entitled to relief, without a thing. I think the conclusion reached by the commission is unreasonable, illogical and unjustified in light of all of the medical history, findings and conclusions, and the award should be set aside.