Court Opinion

ID: 9537970
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 07:28:02.218094+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:57:14.487426
License: Public Domain

DONNELLY, Judge (Specially Concurring). I concur with the majority that the workers’ compensation hearing officer erred in dismissing the employer’s claim against the Subsequent Injury Fund. I do not join in the majority’s promulgation of a rule of construction applicable to future legislative amendments to the Workers’! Compensation or Subsequent Injury Acts because the rule as stated is dicta and departs from controlling precedent. I respectfully disagree with that portion of the majority decision which goes beyond construction of the applicable statute in this case and seeks to declare a controlling rule of statutory construction applicable to future legislative amendments to the Workers’ Compensation Act and Subsequent Injury Act. In my opinion, the rule of statutory construction adopted by the majority departs from controlling precedent in Wilson v. New Mexico Lumber & Timber Co., 42 N.M. 438, 81 P.2d 61 (1938). Wilson, relying upon numerous decisions from other jurisdictions and prior New Mexico precedent, discussed a general rule of statutory construction applied by the courts for discerning legislative intent in order to determine whether an amendment to the workers’ compensation statute was intended by the legislature to be accorded retroactive or prospective effect. There, the supreme court recognized that in determining whether a statute should be construed so as to have retroactive effect, other factors must also be considered, including determination of whether the legislation affects existing or substantive rights, or whether the act is one dealing with remedial procedure. I am unable to agree with the majority that “it is not fruitful to analyze whether a provision of the Workers’ Compensation Act is a matter of remedial procedure in determining whether it should be applied retroactively.” The oft stated rule of statutory construction followed by the courts in New Mexico is that statutes, except those dealing with remedial procedure, are to be construed as prospective rather than retroactive unless there is a clear legislative intention to the contrary. Hansman v. Bernalillo County Assessor, 95 N.M. 697, 625 P.2d 1214 (Ct.App.1980). Nevertheless, statutes, including amendments to the Workers’ Compensation Act, may be given retroactive application wherfe a reviewing court determines that this was the legislative purpose. See Jaramillo v. Kaufman Plumbing & Heating, Co., 103 N.M. 400, 708 P.2d 312 (1985) (adopting special concurrence of Judge Bivins); Wilson v. New Mexico Lumber & Timber Co., (discussing exception to general rule of prospectivity, in specific instances, where statute deals with “remedial procedure”); Canton Textile Mills, Inc. v. Lathem, 253 Ga. 102, 317 S.E.2d 189 (1984) (recognizing retroactivity of provision of workers’ compensation statute). See also Standard Acc. Ins. Co. v. Miller, 170 F.2d 495 (7th Cir.1948) (applying workers’ compensation statute retroactively). In Jaramillo the supreme court adopted the following: While [the statute] does not expressly provide for retroactive application and, given the short intervals when applications for changes in compensation may be made, such would not ordinarily be contemplated; nevertheless, equitable principles may warrant retroactive application in an appropriate case. [Emphasis added.] Id. at 407, 708 P.2d at 319. The court in Standard Accident Insurance Co. (quoting with approval from Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Co. v. Talbot, 113 Ind. 373, 378, 14 N.E. 586, 589 (1887)), I submit, voiced the correct rule to be applied in such cases, observing that: The better rule of construction, and the rule, peculiarly applicable to remedial statutes, however, is that a statute must be so construed as to make it effect the evident purpose for which it was enacted; and if the reason of the statute extends to past transactions as well as to those in the future, then it will be so applied, although the statute does not, in terms, so direct, unless to do so would impair some vested right, or violate some constitutional guaranty. Id. at 498. Similarly, as observed in Canton Textile Mills, Inc.: The general rule is that laws prescribe only for the future, and usually will not be given retrospective operation. They will be given a retrospective operation, however, when the language imperatively requires it, or when an examination of the act as a whole leads to the conclusion that such was the legislative purpose. It is at last and always a question of legislative intent. Id. at 104, 317 S.E.2d at 191. Applying the above authorities to the case before us, I agree with the majority that the cause should be reversed and that the employer’s claim should be reinstated against the Fund. I disagree with the rule of statutory construction promulgated by the majority.