Court Opinion

ID: 9513634
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 22:38:33.622303+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:05:57.087728
License: Public Domain

VANDE WALLE, Chief Justice,
concurring in the result.
[¶ 34] I concur in the result reached by the majority opinion. Although I remain concerned about statements which could mislead the Bureau, F.O.E. Aerie 2337 v. North Dakota Workers Comp. Bureau, 464 N.W.2d 197, 201 (N.D.1990) (Vande Walle, J., concurring specially), Hopfauf v. North Dakota Workers Comp. Bureau, 1998 ND 40, ¶ 19, 575 N.W.2d 436 (Vande Walle, C.J., dissenting), it is unlikely Wanner’s failure to disclose the fact he sold some vegetables from a vegetable garden could mislead the Bureau and, therefore, be material. Presumably the Bureau believes if one can maintain a garden one can be rehabilitated. Were that the case, the fallacy, of course, is that if Wanner raised a garden and sold no vegetables and had no income, there would be no obligation to report any income even though he maintained the garden. N.D.C.C. § 65-05-08(3) (excluding routine maintenance of home and yard from definition of work).
[¶ 35] The failure to disclose Wanner drove a truck on occasion is a greater problem, particularly since Wanner was driving truck when he incurred the injury for which he is receiving benefits. But, the uncontradicted testimony is that Wanner drove the truck only when he did not feel ill, and he did nothing besides drive the truck. Neither the statutes nor the administrative code contain a definition of work. “This means not only that the Bureau may not agree with the claimant but, without a definition in the statute or a rule, the Bureau takes the risk the courts will not agree with the Bureau’s application of the term to particular facts.” Jacobson v. North Dakota Workers Comp. Bureau, 2000 ND 225, ¶ 15 n. 1, 621 N.W.2d 141.
[¶ 36] It must be proven by a preponderance of the evidence that driving the *774truck was “work.” I have serious doubt it was, under the circumstances, work in the ordinary sense. Because of this doubt, coupled with the severe result of the forfeiture of all future benefits after December 22, 1999, I concur in the result reached by the majority opinion.
[¶ 37] GERALD W. VANDE WALLE, C.J., concurs.