R.J. Allison, Inc. v. Boling

• Decision Date: 09 February 1943
• Docket Number: 30747.
• Citation: 134 P.2d 980,192 Okla. 213,1943 OK 43
• Parties: R. J. ALLISON, Inc., et al. v. BOLING et al.
• Court: Oklahoma Supreme Court

134 P.2d 980

192 Okla. 213, 1943 OK 43

R. J. ALLISON, Inc., et al. v. BOLING et al.

No. 30747.

Supreme Court of Oklahoma

February 9, 1943

Rehearing Denied March 16, 1943.

Syllabus by the Court.

1. The general rule that an injury suffered by an employee while on his way to or from his regular work does not arise "out of and in the course of his employment", as that expression is used in the Workmen's Compensation Law (85 O.S.1941 § 11), does not apply where the employee sustains an accidental injury while going to or returning from his place of work (1) to perform a special task, outside his regular working hours, and at the request of his employer, or (2) where the employer agrees, as an incident to the employment to transport the employee to and from his place of work.

2. Where an employer engaged in an industry covered by the Workmen's Compensation Law agrees, as an incident to the employment, to transport the employee to and from the place where a special task is to be performed, and the employer fails to transport the employee home after the work is finished, and the employee is required to walk home and sustains an accidental injury while walking home along the highway he customarily travels to and from his place of work the injury arises "out of and in the course of his employment" and is compensable under the Workmen's Compensation Law.

Original proceeding by R. J. Allison, Inc., employer, and Massachusetts Bonding & Insurance Company, compensation insurer, against John Riley Boling, employee, and State Industrial Commission, to review an award of the Industrial Commission to employee.

Award sustained.

GIBSON V. C.J., and WELCH, ARNOLD, and BAYLESS, JJ., dissenting.

Clayton B. Pierce and Fred M. Mock, both of Oklahoma City, for petitioners.

Ward & Ward, of Tulsa, and Mac Q. Williamson, Atty. Gen., for respondents.

HURST Justice.

This is an original proceeding to review an award of the State Industrial Commission. The question for decision is whether the respondent's accidental injury arose "out of and in the course of his employment" as that expression is used in our Workmen's Compensation Law, 85 O.S.1941 § 11.

Petitioner R. J. Allison, Inc., was engaged in the trucking business. Respondent, Boling, was an automobile mechanic in its employ. His regular working hours were from 8 A. M. to 6 P. M. He was paid an hourly wage of sixty cents, and the time for which he was paid began when he punched the clock going in, and ended when he punched it going out of, petitioner's place of business. Boling lived about a mile and a half from the place of business and usually walked to and from his work on the public highway. On July 1, 1941, after his regular work had ceased for the day and he had reached home for the night, he was called by C. L. Smith, who was in charge of petitioner's business in the absence of R. J. Allison, and asked to return to the place of business and repair a truck that had to be sent out by 2 A. M. the next day. Boling testified that he told Smith that he was tired and that he had no means of transportation but would do the work if he would take him to the place of work and bring him home after he had finished, to which, he testified, Smith agreed. Smith denied that he agreed to transport him, but admitted he in fact took him to the place where the work was done. Boling did the special work, commencing at 8 P. M. and finishing at 11 P. M. Smith did not return or send any one to take him home. After waiting a few minutes and deciding he was not going to be given transportation home, he started walking home. As he was walking along the highway that he usually traveled, and which he would have traveled if the agreement to transport him home had been observed, he was run into by a drunken motorist and received the injuries complained of. The trial commissioner made an award against the employer and its insurance carrier, which was affirmed on appeal by the State Industrial Commission.

Petitioners and respondent agree that the general rule, sometimes referred to as the "going and coming rule", is that an injury suffered by an employee in going to or returning from his regular place of work does not arise "out of and in the course of his employment" so as to be compensable under the Workmen's Compensation Law. See Indian Territory Illuminating Oil Co. v. Gore, 152 Okl. 269, 4 P.2d 690; Southern Surety Co. v. Cline, 149 Okl. 27, 299 P. 139; 71 C.J. 712; 28 R.C.L. 804. Petitioners insist that this general rule applies here. Respondent contends that this case is not governed by the general rule (1) because at the time he was injured he was returning from performing a special task, outside his usual working hours, at the request of his employer, and (2) because he was promised transportation to and from his place of work. He urges that under these exceptions to the general rule his employment began when he left home and did not cease until he returned home.

The expression "arising out of and in the course of his employment" is found in many of the Workmen's Compensation Statutes. The difficulty the courts have had in determining what it means and in applying it to varying circumstances may be seen by examining 28 R.C.L. 796-804 and 71 C.J. 642-661, and the footnotes thereto. It seems to be agreed that the expressions "arising out of" and "in the course of" are not synonymous, the first referring to the origin or cause of the accident and the second to the time, place, and circumstances under which it occurred. Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. v. Stout, 179 Okl. 312, 65 P.2d 477; 28 R.C.L. 797; 71 C.J. 644. The first refers to causal connection. Under it "the act being performed by the workman at the time of his injury must be part of the duty he was employed to perform or must be reasonably incidental thereto." 71 C.J. 652. See also Stanolind Pipe Line Co. v. Davis, 173 Okl. 190, 47 P.2d 163. The second requirement is fulfilled when the accident "occurs within the period of his employment, at a place where he may reasonably be, and while he is reasonably fulfilling the duties of his employment or engaged in doing something incidental to it." 71 C.J. 659. See also Stanolind Pipe Line Co. v. Davis, above, and Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. v. Stout, above.

We are committed to the rule which obtains generally (71 C.J. 311-357; 28 R.C.L. 755-760) that the Workmen's Compensation Law, and the terms used therein, should be liberally construed and applied in favor of the injured workman and his dependents. Griffin v. Holland, 191 Okl. 417, 131 P.2d 113. It follows that the expression here involved should be liberally construed in favor of respondent, and all reasonable doubt as to its meaning should be resolved in his favor. McGeorge Corporation v. State Industrial Commission, 180 Okl. 346, 69 P.2d 320; 71 C.J. 644, 647, 671.

The general rule that injuries received by an employee while going to or coming from work are not compensable seems to be based upon the fact that the employment generally begins and ends when the work begins and ends. That there are exceptions to this rule...