Howe v. Farmers Co-op. Creamery of Madison
Decision Date | 03 February 1965 |
Docket Number | No. 10148,10148 |
Citation | 132 N.W.2d 844,81 S.D. 207 |
Court | South Dakota Supreme Court |
Parties | Alvin HOWE, Claimant and Appellant, v. FARMERS COOPERATIVE CREAMERY OF MADISON, a Corporation, Employer, and Western Surety Company, a Corporation, Insurer, Defendants and Respondents. |
Lammers & Lammers, Madison, for claimant and appellant.
Kirby, McDonnell & Kirby, Sioux Falls, for defendants and respondents.
Appellant, Alvin Howe, was employed by defendant Farmers Cooperative Creamery of Madison. He claims that he sustained an injury to his back resulting from a fall while lifting a can of cream. A claim for workmen's compensation was denied. From judgment of the circuit court affirming decision of the Industrial Commissioner, claimant perfected an appeal to this court.
The Industrial Commissioner filed findings in which he found that . In a proceeding under the Workmen's Compensation Law, the burden rests on claimant to establish his claim. Appellant does not challenge this rule, but contends that where, as in the instant case, claimant has proved a compensable injury by a clear preponderance of evidence it was unreasonable for the trier of fact to fail to find affirmatively for him.
James v. McDonald, 73 S.D. 78, 39 N.W.2d 478.
In Edge v. City of Pierre, 59 S.D. 193, 239 N.W. 191, we said:
Proof need not arise to a degree of absolute certainty, but an award may not be based on mere possibility or speculative evidence. Mehlum v. Nunda Cooperative Ass'n, 74 S.D. 545, 56 N.W.2d 282. The commissioner is not compelled to accept as absolute verity every statement of a witness not contradicted by direct evidence. The persuasiveness of evidence may be overcome even though uncontroverted by direct evidence. Bruns v. Stedman, 76 S.D. 586, 82 N.W.2d 845.
We now consider the application of these basic principles to the facts involved in this appeal. Claimant testified that he was 22 years old; that he was employed by defendant creamery company from July 1959, to April 1962; that Saturday morning, October 7, 1961, while lifting a cream can for the purpose of dumping its contents into a vat, he fell and injured his back; that he mentioned the injury to a fellow employee, Floyd Hilden, but made no complaint or report of injury that day to his employer; and that the next day, Sunday, he consulted Doctor Sheldon J. Christensen, Madison, S. D., concerning his injury and was treated by him on several occasions. Floyd Hilden testified that he knew that claimant intended to consult a doctor, but denied that he had any knowledge of the fall. Claimant's testimony indicates that he returned to work on Monday. Report of an injury resulting from a fall filed with the Industrial Commissioner is dated October 10, 1961 and signed by claimant and defendant employer. August 27, 1962, claimant filed with the Industrial Commission a claim for compensation and request for hearing.
Doctor Christensen testified on behalf of clai...
To continue reading
Request your trial-
Orth v. Stoebner & Permann Const., Inc.
...are not qualified to express an opinion.'" Day v. John Morrell & Co., 490 N.W.2d 720, 724 (S.D.1992); Howe v. Farmers Coop. Creamery, 81 S.D. 207, 212, 132 N.W.2d 844, 846 (1965). A [worker's] compensation award cannot be based on possibilities or probabilities, but must be based on suffici......
-
Reinfeld v. Hutcheson
...(citing Grubbs v. Foremost Ins. Co., Grand Rapids, 82 S.D. 98, 102, 141 N.W.2d 777, 779 (1966)). See Howe v. Farmers Coop. Creamery of Madison, 81 S.D. 207, 210, 132 N.W.2d 844, 845 (1965) (“The persuasiveness of evidence may be overcome even though uncontroverted by direct evidence.”). Hut......
-
Wold v. Meilman Food Industries, Inc.
...unreasonable. Kraft v. Kolberg Mfg., Co., supra; Joffer v. Crusy's Power Brake & Supply, Inc., supra; Howe v. Farmers Cooperative Creamery of Madison, 1965, 81 S.D. 207, 132 N.W.2d 844; Elmstrand v. G & G Rug & Furniture Company, 1958, 77 S.D. 152, 87 N.W.2d 606. This I am unable to do. Eve......
-
Koeniguer v. Eckrich
...68 S.D. 298, 2 N.W.2d 6 (1942). See Podio v. American Colloid Co., 83 S.D. 528, 162 N.W.2d 385 (1968); Howe v. Farmers Cooperative Creamery of Madison, 81 S.D. 207, 132 N.W.2d 844 (1965); Campbell v. City of Chamberlain, 78 S.D. 245, 100 N.W.2d 707 (1960); Annot., 13 A.L.R.2d 11, 31 (1950);......