Court Opinion

ID: 9660129
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 22:06:00.614173+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:15.823847
License: Public Domain

COBB, Chief Justice
(dissenting).
Section 25-5-57(b), Ala.Code 1975, provides, in pertinent part: “Where the employment prior to the injury extended over a period of less than 52 weeks, the method of dividing the earnings during that period by the number of weeks and parts thereof during which the employee earned wages shall be followed, provided results just and fair to both parties will thereby by obtained.” (Emphasis added.) Given that Barbara Ann Gibson became a salaried employee upon her promotion to a managerial position approximately two months before she sustained her work-related injury, I cannot agree with the main opinion that computing Gibson’s average weekly wage based on the entire sum of compensation she received while employed at the Dollar General store provides a result that is just and fair to both parties. I believe the Court of Civil Appeals was correct in affirming the trial court’s judgment. I therefore respectfully dissent.