Court Opinion

ID: 9645197
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 21:16:07.132876+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:11:24.742660
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Mr. Chief Justice Bell:
Notwithstanding the interesting ramblings by the majority in the field which used to be the legal field of Workmen’s Compensation, but has now been changed by it to the field of human emotions and equities, it still ought to be the law in Workmen’s Compensation cases, as it is in the field of trespass and in other fields of the law, that the person who has the burden of proof to sustain his claim has to produce competent and adequate evidence to sustain his claim. This has been and should continue to be the law, even though the opposite party is in a better position to possess or acquire the essential facts or the necessary knowledge. I would cast upon the claimant the burden of proving his claim to total or partial disability, and if the latter, further proof that employment for a person with Ms Mnd of partial disability is not available to him. Any other standard or requirement or burden is founded upon emotion and not law, and makes a travesty of the law.
For these reasons, I would affirm the Workmen’s Compensation Board and the Superior Court.