Court Opinion

ID: 9849610
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:43:14.453357+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:18.838255
License: Public Domain

Justice TIMMONS-GOODSON
dissenting.
Because I believe the record sustains the findings of fact made by the Industrial Commission, and because I believe those findings *189of fact support the Commission’s conclusions of law, I respectfully dissent.
Appellate courts’ review of a decision by the Industrial Commission is limited to examining “whether any competent evidence supports the Commission’s findings of fact and whether the findings of fact support the Commission’s conclusions of law.” Deese v. Champion Int’l Corp., 352 N.C. 109, 116, 530 S.E.2d 549, 553 (2000). This Court’s duty “ ‘goes no further than to determine whether the record contains any evidence tending to support the [Industrial Commission’s] finding.’ ’’Adams v. AVX Corp., 349 N.C. 676, 681, 509 S.E.2d 411, 414 (1998) (quoting Anderson v. Lincoln Constr. Co., 265 N.C. 431, 434, 144 S.E.2d 272, 274 (1965)). Further, “[t]he evidence tending to support plaintiff’s claim is to be viewed in the light most favorable to plaintiff, and plaintiff is entitled to the benefit of every reasonable inference to be drawn from the evidence.”.M In other words, evidence that might lead another finder of fact to make a different decision is irrelevant unless the Commission’s findings are absolutely unsupported by any evidence in the record.
While the majority articulates the appropriate standard of review, it fails to follow it. Not only does the majority fail to give deference to the findings of fact as instructed by this Court’s precedent, the majority makes little mention of the Commission’s findings of fact.
The issue before us is whether the Commission’s findings of fact are supported by any competent evidence in the record and whether those findings support the Commission’s conclusions of law. The Industrial Commission concluded that plaintiff’s injury arose out of and in the course of her employment with Salter Path Fire & Rescue (“Salter Path”) and was therefore compensable. In my opinion, there was sufficient evidence in the record to support the findings of fact and to sustain the Commission’s conclusions of law.
The Industrial Commission entered the following findings of fact pertinent to our inquiry:
2. Plaintiff was injured at the Salter Path Fire and Rescue Fun Day on September 30, 2001. Fun Day was essentially an appreciation day, in which the community thanked volunteer firemen and rescue workers for their contribution and work in the community. The purpose for Fun Day was to boost the morale and goodwill of Salter Path volunteers, show appreciation for the *190unpaid volunteers of Salter Path, and to help develop camaraderie among the volunteers. Fun Day was initiated in 2000.
3. The Fun Day event was put on by Salter Path Fire and Rescue Corporation and was paid for out of a Special Donations Fund, rather than out of the Department’s operating budget. Salter Path Fire and Rescue Corporation paid for the admission of the volunteers and their families to Lost Treasures Golf and Raceway (“Lost Treasures”), the private amusement park where Fun Day was held, and provided lunch to the participants while at Fun Day.
4. Fun Day was a voluntary event, but Salter Path volunteers and their families were urged to attend if possible. Many volunteers did not attend. Those in attendance signed in at the Treasure Island main window and were given passes for free rides and a free lunch. One purpose of this sign-in sheet was to allow Treasure Island to compute the total cost, according to the discount ticket rates provided. Another possible purpose was to give management of the fire and rescue unit an attendance log. Notwithstanding that attendance was voluntary, Salter Path did keep attendance for the event. The employer received a tangible benefit from this event in that it helped to improve morale of volunteers and it provided an opportunity for leaders of the fire and rescue unit to encourage volunteers to continue their participation as volunteers. The volunteers viewed Fun Day as a benefit of their voluntary employment. The Chief of Salter Path, Ritchie Frost, told plaintiff that he wanted her to attend Fun Day.
5. On the morning of September 30, 2001, plaintiff called Carteret County Communications (“Communications”) to tell the dispatcher to set the tones for noon for all of the volunteers’ beepers to remind them of Fun Day. Plaintiff and her husband then took the Salter Path Fire & Rescue ambulance to Treasure Island and proceeded inside to ride the go-carts. Plaintiff had signed in as “on duty” prior to her injury and had intended to give a pep speech thanking the EMS volunteers and encouraging their continued participation with Salter Path just as she had done at the previous Fun Day.
The majority contends that no competent evidence supports the Commission’s findings of fact. As the Court of Appeals noted with regard to finding 3, however, “three witnesses testified without objection that Salter Path did sponsor the event and defendants do not *191dispute that the volunteers’ admission to the event was paid for by Salter Path’s special contribution fund.”-N.C. App. —, -, 628 S.E.2d 22, 25 (2006). Competent evidence also supports finding 4. Specifically, volunteers who attended Fun Day signed in at the entrance to Lost Treasures. Further, it is undisputed that the Chief of Salter Path told plaintiff he wanted her to attend the event. Testimony also indicated that Salter Path benefitted from the event because the event encouraged volunteers’ continued participation. Thus, the Commission appropriately found that improving morale in a volunteer organization amounts to a tangible benefit. With regard to finding 5, plaintiff testified that she signed in as “on duty” the morning of Fun Day when she picked up the ambulance to drive it to Lost Treasures. In addition, she testified that she planned to give a pep talk to the volunteers at Fun Day. In light of the record, I would hold that the Commission’s findings are supported by competent evidence.
The next step of our inquiry is whether the Commission’s findings of fact support its conclusions of law. The Commission based its conclusions of law on the test set out in Chilton v. Bowman Gray School of Medicine, 45 N.C. App. 13, 15, 262 S.E.2d 347, 348 (1980), for whether an injury sustained at an employer-sponsored recreational event or social activity arose out of and in the course of employment. The majority declines to adopt Chilton, but does recognize that it is consistent with this Court’s holding in Perry v. American Bakeries Co., 262 N.C. 272, 275, 136 S.E.2d 643, 646 (1964). I agree. In the instant case, the Commission concluded that “the evidence in the instant cause establishes affirmative answers to at least four of the six Chilton questions, and, arguably, all six.” Therefore, the Commission concluded that “[p]laintiff suffered an injury by accident on September 30, 2001, arising out of. . . employment with the defendant-employer.” I agree that the Chilton factors support plaintiff’s position.
The majority bases its analysis on Perry v. American Bakeries Co., 262 N.C. 272, 275, 136 S.E.2d 643, 646 (1964), in which this Court held that an employee’s injury that occurred while swimming during free time at an employer-sponsored sales meeting did not arise out of his employment. The plaintiff in Perry was a route salesman supervisor for American Bakeries in Raleigh. Id. at 272, 136 S.E.2d at 644. At the time of the accident, he was attending a sales meeting in Greensboro. Id. at 273, 136 S.E.2d at 644-45. The plaintiff stayed overnight at an inn, and his lodging was paid for by his employer. Id. *192at 273, 136 S.E.2d at 644. He arrived in Greensboro the day before the meeting began and attended a social hour hosted by his employer. Id. After the social hour ended, the plaintiff went to dinner with a coworker, then returned to his hotel and decided to swim in the hotel pool. Id. at 273, 136 S.E.2d at 645. At that time, the plaintiff sustained a diving injury. Id. As a result of his injury, he remained in the hospital for sixty-five days and was out of work for five months. Id. His employer paid the plaintiffs salary during those five months. Id.
The majority distinguishes Rice v. Uwharrie Council Boy Scouts of America, 263 N.C. 204, 207-08, 139 S.E.2d 223, 226-27 (1964), in which this Court affirmed the Industrial Commission’s finding that an injury sustained by an employee while deep-sea fishing at an employer-sponsored conference arose out of his employment. The plaintiff in Rice was a District Scout Executive from Lexington, North Carolina. Id. at 205, 139 S.E.2d at 224. At the time of his injury, he was attending a five-day Scouting Executive Conference at Jekyll Island, Georgia, at his employer’s expense. Id. at 205, 139 S.E.2d at 225. The plaintiff fractured his leg during a deep-sea fishing outing, and the evidence before the Commission indicated that such recreational activities were “ ‘a planned part of the program.’ ” Id. at 207, 139 S.E.2d at 226. The plaintiff was out of work for more than five months and was paid his regular salary during that time. Id. at 205, 139 S.E.2d at 224.
Based on the Commission’s findings of fact, I find the instant case to be more comparable to Rice than to Perry. In Rice, this Court found that “[t]he evidence and findings permit the inference the employer impliedly required participation in the scheduled activities, . . . not merely for the purpose of furnishing amusement and entertainment for the employee.” Id. at 208, 139 S.E.2d at 227. Similarly, here, the Commission’s findings permit the inference that the event was not wholly voluntary and that the event benefitted Salter Path in a tangible way. I refer specifically to the Commission’s findings that plaintiff was told by the Chief of Salter Path that he wanted her to attend Fun Day and that the event benefitted Salter Path in terms of volunteer retention. Moreover, Perry can be distinguished from the instant case in the same way this Court in Rice distinguished it. In Rice, the Court recited the facts of Perry as follows: “Mr. Perry entered the swimming pool entirely on his own after the social hour provided by his employer was over.” Id. (emphasis added). Here, however, plaintiff was injured while engaging in activities at the very event her employer asked her to attend.
*193Because the Commission’s findings of fact are supported by some credible evidence in the record and because those findings support the Commission’s conclusions of law, I would affirm the Court of Appeals. Therefore, I respectfully dissent.