Court Opinion

ID: 9666663
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 01:24:21.904377+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:31.779719
License: Public Domain

WRIGHT, Presiding Judge
(concurring specially) :
I concur in the opinion of the majority but feel it necessary to explain that in doing so, I do not depart from the decision of Steele v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co., 46 Ala.App. 705, 248 So.2d 745.
It is to be noted that the employer in Steele was a common carrier engaged in interstate commerce. As is pointed out in the opinion of the court in this case, the employer, DeKalb, is not a common carrier, either intra or interstate, but a contract carrier of exempt commodities. It is true that at the time of his death, the employee was engaged in interstate commerce as a lease driver for a common carrier, Refrigerated Transport Company. There is little question but that while so engaged he was subject to the rules and regulations of the Interstate Commerce Commission. He and the truck owned by’ his employer, DeKalb, were operating under the permit of Refrigerated. Refrigerated had direction and control of the driver and the vehicle while leased; however, such lease did not cause DeKalb to become a common carrier engaged in interstate commerce.
Section 263 of Title 26 as it appeared in 1971 excluded common carriers doing an interstate business while engaged in interstate commerce from coming under the Workmen’s Compensation Act. It is my opinion, applying the provisions of the Act liberally as required, DeKalb was not such an employer as was intended to be excluded from the benefits of workmen’s compensation. The case of Birson v. Decatur Transfer & Storage Co., Inc., 271 Ala. 240, 122 So.2d 917 is distinguishable for the same reason hereinabove stated.