Industrial Commission v. Drake
Industrial Commission v. Drake
Opinion of the Court
Although the claim was refused intoto by the commission, it is only contended in this court that the judgment rendered in favor of the claimant is excessive and exceeds the amount allowed by law, and that the attorney fees taxed against the commission are exorbitant.
“2. If there are "wholly dependent persons at the time of the death, the payment shall be sixty-six and two-thirds per cent of the average weekly wages, and to continue for the remainder of the period between the date of the death and eight years after the date of the injury and not to amount to more than a maximum of five thousand dollars, nor less than a minimum of two thousand dollars.
“3. If there are partly dependent persons at the time of the death, the payment shall be sixty-six and two-thirds per cent of the average weekly wages, and to continue for all or such portion of the period of eight years after the date of the injury, as the board in each case may determine, and not to amount to more than a maximum of five thousand dollars.”
It will be seen by reference to the above-quoted section that the amount of the weekly payment in each instance will be the same and that the only difference is that pertaining to the period over which the payment shall extend,- and it is specifically provided that it shall “continúe for all or such portion of the period of eight years after the date of the Injury, as the board in each case may determine, and
Although the difference in compensation between cases of persons wholly dependent and persons partly dependent is confined to one feature, it nevertheless clearly, appears that the legislature has created two separate and distinct classes in the same enactment, under paragraphs separately stated and numbered, and the conclusion is therefore irresistible that the classification was not intended to be a vain and meaningless thing. It necessarily follows that the legislature intended-that certain distinctions should be made, and, although a discretion was reposed in the commission, it cannot be held to be an arbitrary discretion, but rather a judicial discretion, and therefore the product of a careful consideration of all the facts in each case, keeping clearly in mind the distinction between persons wholly dependent and those partly dependent, and also keeping clearly in mind all the other sections of the chapter pertaining to the same subject, including the provisions of Section 1465-68, General Code, which are in substance that the compensation awarded shall be “for loss sustained on account of such injury or death.”
This cause was heard by the court of common pleas uj>on appeal from an adverse order of the commission, the case being heard by the court without any jury having been demanded, and upon the evidence submitted the court of common pleas made a finding that the claimant was only partially dependent upon the deceased at the time of his death. This court may not properly inquire into the con
Naturally, if the classification made by paragraphs 2 and 3 of Section 1465-82, General Code, is to be observed, and the distinctions therein made between persons wholly dependent and those partly dependent are to have any practical effect, the undisputed facts must be looked to to determine whether a sound discretion has been exercised. The undisputed facts in this case are that a boy in his teens, sound in mind and body, was being only partly maintained by the decedent, the greater portion of his support being contributed by his maternal grandmother. It therefore clearly appears that the “loss sustained” is far less than two-thirds of the weekly wage of the decedent. Therefore the legal question presented is whether in the exercise of a sound discretion the court could properly award the full maximum allowance payable to persons wholly dependent. This court cannot help wondering what allowance would have been made by the court of common pleas if the decedent had left a widow and a number of small children with whom he was living at the time of his death.
In cases where a discretion is lodged the maximum award should not be made unless the case is
The industrial commission evidently rejected the claim on the ground that the decedent, at the time of the divorce proceedings, did not become obligated to the support of his son, and that he had never in fact fully supported and maintained him. In this the commission undoubtedly erred, because it has been held by this court in the case of State v. Stouffer, 65 Ohio St., 47, that the obligation of the father is not excused on the ground that the custody of a child has been awarded to a divorced wife in a suit where no order was made for allowance and support of children. The court of common pleas was therefore justified in making an award.
This court is of the opinion that the award of the maximum allowance is not justified under the facts of this case, and yet it is not the proper province of this court to fix the amount. But the cause should be remanded to the court of common pleas to be reheard and a proper award made, which, upon a consideration of the evidence, and in the true spirit- of the sections of the statutes above quoted, will properly reflect the “loss sustained.”
It is further claimed as error in this case that there was an abuse of discretion by the court of
For the foregoing reasons the judgments of the court of common pleas and of the court of appeals will be reversed and the cause remanded to the court of common pleas for further proceedings in accordance with this opinion.
Judgments reversed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.