Court Opinion

ID: 9454288
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 18:42:08.562125+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:34:03.418654
License: Public Domain

TAMM, Circuit Judge,
with whom PRETTYMAN, Senior Circuit Judge, and BURGER, Circuit Judge,
concur, dissenting :
It is unfortunate that the majority opinion ignores the basic principles which we, following pronouncements of the Supreme Court, have established as guidelines for the District Court and the executives administering employees’ compensation. Our opinion in Wolff v. Britton, 117 U.S.App.D.C. 209, 213, 328 F.2d 181, 185 (1964), in my view correctly stated the law that where the Deputy Commissioner reached a conclusion upon a record which supported his findings “there is factual and legal support for that conclusion, [and] our task is at an end,” quoting Cardillo v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., 330 U.S. 469, 479, 67 S.Ct. 801, 91 L.Ed. 1028 (1947). Our opinion in Wolff pointed out that the work “must bring ‘the worker within the orbit of whatever dangers the environment affords.’ ” 117 U.S.App.D.C. at 213, 328 F.2d at 185. I find nothing in this record that even suggests that the appellant’s work brought him within the orbit of any real, possible or probable danger. Applying the test outlined in O’Leary v. Brown-Pacific-Maxon, Inc., 340 U.S. 504, 507, 71 S.Ct. 470, 472, 95 L.Ed. 483 (1951), the record is completely devoid of any showing “that the ‘obligations or conditions’ of employment” created any “ ‘zone of special danger’ out of which the injury arose.”
The Deputy Commissioner-appellee made detailed findings of fact as a result of his hearing in this case.1 As I have indicated, these findings are supported and justified by the evidence. We are required to sustain the decisions of the Deputy Commissioner if they are supported by substantial evidence, O’Leary v. Brown-Pacific-Maxon, Inc., supra, or if his holding is not irrational, O’Keeffe v. Smith, Hinchman & Grylls Associates, Inc., 380 U.S. 359, 85 S.Ct. 1012, 13 L.Ed. *3182d 895 (1965) or if the order under review is not “forbidden by the law,” Cardillo v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., supra at 478, 67 S.Ct. 801. As the majority opinion accurately points out, the evidence before the Commissioner easily permits the drawing of adverse inferences, but this fact does not allow us to overthrow the inferences drawn by the Deputy Commissioner if his selection is reasonable. Cardillo v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., supra; Del Vecehio v. Bowers, 296 U.S. 280, 56 S.Ct. 190, 80 L.Ed. 229 (1935); Voehl v. Indemnity Insurance Co., 288 U.S. 162, 53 S.Ct. 380, 77 L.Ed. 676 (1933). We have repeatedly adhered to these principles. Wolff v. Britton, supra, Phoenix Assurance Co. of New York v. Britton, 110 U.S.App.D.C. 118, 120, 289 F.2d 784, 786 (1961); General Accident Fire & Life Assurance Corp. v. Britton, 103 U.S.App.D.C. 135, 255 F.2d 544 (1958); Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v. Britton, 100 U.S.App.D.C. 236, 243 F.2d 659 (1957); United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Britton, 88 U.S.App.D.C. 293, 294, 188 F.2d 674, 675 (1951). The principle has been applied even in instances where, as stated in Cardillo v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., supra, at 478, 67 S.Ct. 801, the inference to be drawn from the facts is “more legal than factual. * * * ” Thus, even though the reviewing court might not agree with the Deputy Commissioner’s determination for itself (see Wolff v. Britton, supra), that determination, if not “forbidden by the law,” is to be sustained. Cardillo v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., supra at 478, 67 S.Ct. 801.
My deep concern about the majority opinion is that in an effort to achieve a humanitarian result my learned and well intentioned brethren are ignoring all established precedents and virtually placing this type of case on a basis of compassion. I readily recognize the liberal philosophy of the courts in construing workmen’s compensation laws, but I cannot subscribe to a doctrine of superior credibility of claimants’ witnesses or of inherent suspicion toward those witnesses, lay and professional, who testify adversely to the claim. This, however, must be the theory upon which the majority reject the testimony of Dr. Thomas, characterize it as not constituting “substantial evidence” and consequently conclude that it fails to support the Deputy Commissioner’s findings. As too frequently happens on this court, the majority completely ignores the superior opportunity which the trier of facts, in this case the Deputy Commissioner, had to observe the witnesses in person, evaluate their manner of testifying and compare their relative characteristics before arriving at a determination of their credibility. Instead the majority opinion displays an extraordinary cerebral capacity in evaluating conflicting testimony on the basis of a cold printed record. They do so despite our ruling that “[i]t is of no consequence that we might have reached a different conclusion or that there is a sharp conflict in the testimony or even that the evidence preponderates strongly against the view expressed by the Deputy. We cannot substitute our judgment for the Deputy’s judgment, nor can we weigh the evidence.” (Emphasis supplied.) Groom v. Cardillo, 73 App.D.C. 358, 359, 119 F.2d 697, 698 (1941). The series of cases in this field, that will result from today’s opinion, will produce a brouhaha lacking foundation in logic, organization in reason and justification on any legal basis. The resulting paraselenae will negate the realism of proceedings before the Deputy Commissioner and dissolve the significance of any bona fide defense to a workmen’s compensation claim.
The knowledgeable trial judge was not only justified in upholding the Deputy Commissioner’s findings, but he was required to do so. O’Keeffe v. Smith, Hinchman & Grylls Associates, Inc., supra; O’Leary v. Brown-Pacific-Maxon, Inc., supra; Phoenix Assurance Co. v. Britton, supra; Gooding v. Willard, 209 F.2d 913 (2nd Cir. 1954); Hurley v. Lowe, 83 U.S.App.D.C. 123, 168 F.2d 553, cert. denied, 334 U.S. 828, 68 S.Ct. 1338, 92 L.Ed. 1756 (1948); Groom v. Cardillo, supra; General Accident Fire & Life Assurance Corp. v. Britton, supra. I would affirm the District Court.

. See Joint Appendix 14-16.