Ford v. Fortuna Oil Co.
Ford v. Fortuna Oil Co.
Opinion of the Court
I.
The trial judge (who saw the injured man, and heard all the testimony) allowed him in all $18 per week for 90 weeks.
The defendant seems not to complain of the amount of the weekly allowance, but only of the number of weeks during which it is to run; and this on the hypothesis that plaintiff may recover during said 90 weeks. But the act allows of adjustments from year to year; which is quite often enough, unless the statute is to become wholly nugatory; for even as it is this present plaintiff has already by this appeal been kept out of his compensation for more than a year, contrary to the manifest purpose of the statute, which intends weeloly benefits and not lump sum payments.
We find no merit in the defense; nor in plaintiff’s demand for an increase. Both are frivolous.
Decree.
The judgment appealed from is therefore affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- FORD v. FORTUNA OIL CO.
- Cited By
- 8 cases
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- Published
- Syllabus
- (Syllabus by the Court.) I.Master and servant 4&wkey;398 — Compensation! suit held not premature. An action is not premature under a workman’s compensation statute, even though defendant is willing to pay all that he thinks is due plaintiff, if in point of fact plaintiff and defendant differ as to what may be due. 2. Master and servant Workmen’s compensation statutes contemplate weekly compensation for the injured and their dependents, and not lump sum payments; and hence the very object of such statutes is defeated by frivolous claims on the part of plaintiffs and frivolous defenses and appeals on the part of defendants. (Additional Syllabus by Editorial Staff.) 3. Master and servant It is not a valid objection to an award of weekly compensation under the Employers’ Liability Act for 90 weeks that plaintiff may recover during the 90 weeks, as the act allows of adjustment from year to year.