Court Opinion

ID: 9850571
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 04:59:29.3017+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:39.513722
License: Public Domain

*664Pannkll, Judge,
dissenting. I dissent from the holding of the majority opinion in this case. The holding and the opinion of the judge of the superior court in this case is in my opinion correct in view of the ruling laid down in Thomas v. U. S. Cas. Co., 218 Ga. 493 (128 SE2d 749) and followed in Carter v. Georgia Power Co., 107 Ga. App. 380 (130 SE2d 156). These cases are in direct conflict with the erroneous legal conclusion of the single director adopted by the board in this case that medical “probabilities” cannot be the basis for its consideration in making findings of fact.
In approximately three pages entitled “Finding of Facts” the director made various findings of fact and included in these “findings of fact” was the following: “There were other possibilities or probabilities mentioned in the deposition of Dr. Edwin Thomas Avret and also Dr. Massee’s deposition. However, possibilities and probabilities cannot be the basis for a finding of fact and it is obvious from the evidence in this case that the widow-claimant, Mrs. Ruby Brackett, has not carried the burden of proof required by the provisions of the Workmen’s Compensation Act to show that the death of her husband was due to an accidental injury which arose out of and in the course of his employment. . .” The only findings of any kind by the director were included under the title “Finding of Facts.” The award of the director was as follows: “Wherefore, based on the above and foregoing findings of fact and conclusions of law the claim of Mrs. Ruby Brackett, widow-claimant and sole dependent of R. B. Brackett, deceased, against Whitman’s Laundry and their insurance carrier, Employers Insurance Company of Alabama is hereby denied.” Upon review by the full board, the board entered the following order: “After hearing argument and after careful and painstaking study of the entire record, the majority of the fufll board is of the opinion that there is ample evidence to support the findings of the deputy director and said findings of the deputy director are hereby made their findings of fact. Award.—Wherefore, the award of Deputy Director David C. Stripling dated April 29, 1965 is hereby made the award of the full board. And it is so ordered, this the 18th day of August, 1965.” In view of the *665findings of fact by the director which followed his erroneous conclusion of law and his award based upon such erroneous conclusion, the adoption of his “findings of fact” by the full board, and the adoption of his award by the full board, leave no room for doubt that the board adopted the conclusion of law as well as the findings of fact based thereon.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Judge Nichols concurs in this dissent.