Opinion

Subsequent Injuries Fund v. Workmen's Compensation Appeals Board

  • 2 Cal. 3d 78
  • 84 Cal. Rptr. 153
  • 465 P.2d 41
  • 35 Cal. Comp. Cases 96
  • 1970 Cal. LEXIS 256
Court
California Supreme Court
Filed
Feb 26, 1970
Status
Published
Author
Mosk
On the bench
Mosk, Sullivan
Cited by
0 cases
Authority
More cited than 26.2%

The opinion

Opinion

MOSK, J.

This is another companion case to Subsequent Injuries Fund v. Workmen’s Comp. App. Bd. (Talcott) ante, page 56 [ 84 Cal.Rptr. 140 , 465 P.2d 28 ].

Wayne E. Pullum (hereinafter called respondent) sustained an industrial injury on November 15, 1961. He was afforded medical benefits thereafter andón October 30, 1964, he applied to the Industrial Accident Commission (now the Workmen’s Compensation Appeals Board, hereinafter the Board) for compensation against his employer and its carrier. It was not until July 27, 1967, that the Board made an award in his favor. It found that he had 71 Vz percent disability, 461Ó percent of which was attributed to the industrial injury, and the remainder to a preexisting condition. There was a specific finding that respondent’s condition had not become permanent and stationary until November 16,1966, one day longer than five years from the date of injury. On September 28, 1967, nearly six years after the injury, respondent filed for benefits against the Subsequent Injuries Fund (hereinafter the Fund).

The Board found that the claim against the Fund was timely filed under section 5405 of the Labor Code because, under the award of July 28, 1967, the employer was required to pay benefits for a period within one year prior to the date the application against the Fund was filed.

This case is similar to Talcott in that an application for normal benefits was timely filed against the employer, but no award for permanent disability against the employer was made until after five years from the date of the injury had elapsed (Lab. Code, § 5410). The same considerations set forth in Talcott are applicable here and for the reasons therein set forth section 5410 should not be held as a matter of law to bar petitioner’s claim.

Respondent filed his claim against the Fund within two months after he learned of his permanent disability rating, and there is no claim that the *80 period between the permanent disability award and the filing of his application for subsequent injuries benefits was unreasonable.

One key issue remains unresolved. The matter must be remanded to the Board for a determination whether respondent knew or reasonably should have known prior to the expiration of the five-year period set forth in section 5410 that there was a substantial likelihood he would have a claim for subsequent injuries benefits.

The decision of the Board is annulled and the cause is remanded to the Board for further proceedings consistent with the views expressed herein.

Tobriner, Acting C. J., McComb, J., Peters, J., and Burke, J., concurred.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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