Document zd9brdwD87aGnq4D3MqEx7VwR

FILE NAME: Saranac 7th Symposium (SSY) DATE: 1952 DOC#: SSY045 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Text of Presentation by Mr. Waters 507S r e : e ,vld f.h .h &s DATE:--J U t 3 1 I97g M.E.M COKCD*TS or DISABILITY iwier waaaca^s caR'fcj&AiiGk' s u t jie s Read at the Seventh Saranac iyttposiua on r?n'c;ar.jOConlogcsT' Sponsored by Tte Sa.rs.nac Laboratory Saranac Lzfcb, tiev lork September 22 - 26, 1?$2 i .~?J. u. ca,ios?is or e e .-atilttt --1 0 WRPfc:w,s szAYirr* RECEIVES date- ftu in e the p resen t week, here been p ririle p e d to * e t i n an *t& osphen o f le a rn-"in"g6 two rreeecoonn*s'xriaerr. the probvx- eas presented b7 there i s no piece in th is country r t e r . th a t o b je c t h e. reoeired conscientious scien tiT ic end ia te a e iT * con sid eratio n than nc-ro ,, U x)au We here renewed our a s s o c ia tio n s w ith the acuories a * to e c h ln te o r thoee Wo fread Ben of I n d u s tr ie ! a d ie i u c h c H o y a. Gardner and ir th u r J . V crw ald-topether w ith th e ir n y asso ciates hiTe re 'l40P"d ' acb ^ e tin r o is h e d s o rric e in t h i s r ie ld or ed ic in e . The p m i e u . n eetin p s o r the syoposiun hare u * a derated to the nedica! .specie or pheanoconio.es,. beriahiac with tie p re se n t se ssio n ,, w-tc. ttuu rmn ttoo tthhee xjne*e.il a. .sp e c ts o.f these probleas to consider* 1. le g isla tiv e provisions fo r coisptnsttion Sor the v ic tir s of these d ise a se s, end . 2. Xhe e v a lu atio n o f c is a b i l i t y or in jar-.srisin ^ therefrao. These problem are cauplex and r iro- r is e to d i f r . ranees o r o p ialo a, dependent v e s the p o in t 00 T i c o r approach. l a order th c t I Bay i d e n tif y u y so lr Tor the record, J wish to s ta te th a t in ,v p ro rts c ic n a i p r a c tic e , : ,,cre a i.a v s rep resented employers one in su re rs in o t t e r s vL%l s u b je c t, except in e nx-=>er o--r--------in'tt.'-e- rcre-. _re j.,y e.-o-xovt-r c lie n ts RECEIVE f u u , ' . 2 DA7E:~ J i l l , t a w 4ueted m to w p w e e a t t h . f r . - U" i r ta the p la n ta tio n ^ w p w se n ta tic n to . been m t te *lta of ^ thinking t o , a i * ^ toon la fla w to d by deep e n tla s n t and regard f t , thorn tr a g ic rig u m . woo tocom d i a l e d o r die fto n w * m t a r which t h . n o d ical p rc r.s a io n to , t a a * cur. Our b ro th e r, o f the s d i l p w reeu io n to w l ^ a d y t a s t e d th a t they do no t know a l l about p b f ^ o o n i o , , , . i t o re many unsolved qoostioas th a t should e t l w l a t , ccntinued inborn*" * r e w a r d o r the type and C u ra c w r th a t to , distinguished the a c t i v i t i e s Of th is LtaaubocrraatotoTr-yj.. iBwW., t o . l,e g a l ste n a p o in t, our le g is la tu re s , bomuissions m oourU to w been sw e llin g with the U f * problems re la tin g to employer l i a b i l i t y t a r c-avensstion; aao here ag ain , we fin d th a t thejy hnoa.vvec ,--.u.tt *'CVw-nr-c-. alu thi.e answers to those problems. In oy re u a rk s, p lease c o m ;to r i :k I a.- tto n lan g outloud 1 t h no conclusive o p in io n , but s t i l l ,, ,, cf . ^ ^ 1 , trying to rind answers to question, that nav, , 0 Perpleaed ,v leg a l brethren. Dr. tarw ald to ,-ask ed ne to discuss tae le g a l concept o i t h t C0KP cn ratica s ta tu te s , g , . prelud6 to th a t diaouasion, nay i re a lm you oi tm nature of a t enptayer'e l i a b i l i t y to pay compensation t a r these d ise a s e ,. is ta o -ro ld , (1 ) th a t t a p e d by toe canton law , tad (g, ^ t imposed by the Vorkncn's e l a t i o n Acte or the s e v e n ! s t a te s . Co .ton taw l i a b i l i t y r e s u lt, I r a . the ..p i c ^ r - e i;, yIw liaJ ro r eaplcyees s. safe piece in t i l t h to work, Sait Ksich DATC , FM*&S *0 ori! end fo lia r* to m -- , - * * - * . In -iefen... cfl . ' U v S j TM ' 01 ***** 5 0 s- p` * 3 lnCid" t ` f i r ** o a t* ! The F e llo e Cem ent S o c tili* , t o o ^ t io n o f * b/ tbe m4 3. Contributory hediEeno, ^ to 14 * * * in . C o w o f oof lofoi p rin cip le of prooe-r* The u ltia a te * CraC'6tl0a f cnetion of the j m y. on- r, iU-e6 cr^ ,^ ` ^ ^ fes " ," " UC''`,,i" i ViQ6r*Ce P revail. . .. lni!? ^ Uis* Several decades r-~ _ that pr_ , ,, ' ^ e e d the Vlde * d i e s fo r that t r ^ r eClet" "*" * Kith ^ t, p -- * * * ^ o t i o n a hoe. ^ ^ *" f " tod 1x1 b e n e f its * k . u t * f t ) d0 not - - P s U o a dieoseee. , to * W ,t ' the7 ^ fe r *ecnioees are eubject to i i Jec1, to .d o t a t io n s that arc- - ^. ^ Pn6U" fc - ac-ident-- W 1R:urics K "wt P"*ceo on benefite in l i stete.(3 ) . *or p a r tia l d is a b ility By - " * * w*ie acceptance r f tv. * * axe paid Compensation Acte the , *" P ^ iCne c i t.-,e U * * * c''Picrer becasss ar i a s ^ , . * * W oe to those 0 iM. ,, 5 * ^ * w Mi " " c- ;-penr.tble th c ,, b y ,, d lo s e , h is oosaon let- c-efenets in . . surre.-iterE hie r ith t o f c - " "* ssuon i t i 'n ^ " W a" ^ -- * Conpen- 6 " Cl e ^ i T e re;(1ed7 of toe ia ja -y c ^ c l ^ t ^ i Cnii^ , cfn. , " n-^ .c .iC C| e its u r ca the par. of -i--oytfe or employer and tho tec-m ir-' *. i .. toc.LMc^ rules of proeeiure d eriGeisce are abando/icd. ^ h n o f.h.h&s ` s o s 3 g liiU u JS Z L ^ Page k Ptrhapt one o f th e most troublesoae a s s e t s of providing condensation fo r the duct diseases r e t JLtc fr o - the varying coaoepta or Us term disab i l i ty*' under th e Lev. foae compensation lava define th a t terra; sow leave i t to cavsission or co u rt deter* a in a tic a . C ertainly one of the basic purposes of the compensation statu tes v u to provide monetary condensation fo r in ju rie s resu ltin g in Iocs cf vage-earning capacity of the injured employee. Zte coaraon la v concept of the t e n i s th a t of 'in ju ry to the body*; voile under the compensation s t a tu t e s , th ree d i s t in c t concepts cf the te rn have been adopted: 1 . D is a b ility im plies an i n a b i l i t y on t i s p a rt of tue in ju re d employee to earn f u l l vageE in the e:jpicye=t Lz vhich he was l a s t employed, (i.ev fori:) 2. D isa b ility sh a ll mean that an employee i s teta liy unable to perform any further verk in h is then occupation or in any other tra ce, Business cr occupation, (Tersest) 3. D isa b ility z-tans tiie event c f an employee becoming actu a lly incapacitated, e ith er p a r tia lly or totally from performing a is work in ti* l a s t occupation in vaich be was exposed to the hazards c f such d isea se, (haryiaad) bearing in rind those concepts of d is a b ility , l e t us con sid er only s r ie fly the three rain rpocial previsions c f cur Ccrpcnsation ictf that a..rl y to the pnour.-.c.nictes: 1 . L im itation r r sv itin n s c f .-.onetary b-.ne-fitc. m..m -* -2 2 2 lim ita tio n Provieicns Relating to f ilin g a fte r Disablement or Death, and 3 . Denial of Condensation fo r P artial Idaa b ility . Tiae does not permit detailed discussion of these subjects, but I would lik e to refer ts th e ir purposes and o b jectives. When laws were f i r s t amended to provide condensation for duet d iseases, i t was recognized ta a t cany e=p_oyees who had been previously exposed to dust had accumulated duct in tn s ir lunge over the period o f espioyaent antedating the e ffe c tiv e date of the la;;. Inis created so -c a lle d "accrued lia b ility " or "potential lia b ility " because when the *<aw was a.tended, ecjjloytrs were lia b le as insurers end deprived o f th e ir canion la v defeases. Therefore, cany of tne sta te s adopted provisions known as escalator clauses of rr.netary b en efits, providing & low b en efit a t the e ffe c tiv e date c f the Act vitr. gradual increases in b en efits each successive .tenth th ereafter. fuen provision was contained in the ev fork Dust Disease Act of 1?36. This served tc relie v e tne iauaediete impact of l i a b i l i t y end tc discourage an avalanche of c l alas as soon at the a-en ijen t beeaae e ffe c tiv e . pattern was followed in aaay s ta te s . While many of the s ta te s have retained thssc. ie y is la t iv e p rovision s, others have since repealed thoa, Ti*e fa c t i s that the employee disabled frer. dust diseases i s ju st as such e n title d to compensation as the e-apleyee su fferin g from other types of d is a b ility . lim ita tio n provieiens relatin g to vie f i li n g of clairrs present a serious question. I. p i eyerr end v .6 ir insurance carriers properly desire to ascertain one dfscnax,'e t.*cir l i a b i l i t y under the lav within e roesonaule t v e a fttr la s t cr tne termination Cl c m v j m n l . Ite y ^ Received f h h z$ D A IL M U x k l SOR- M.LM ^ ------ 5 0 S o ** 6 to , vol(f contln.iiJ1. l i i S i y ._T for ^ xU atoc tie e . oa eourte ta r t interpreted these statute# l i b e r t y , e y l B t t e the e le ln a n t th e b e n e fit o f doubt. With th e t p h ilo so p h y / ' I en in second, but there should be sone reneonnble tin e l i j i i t Within Which e l ai thc jaufit Ik 1 _j n 1 * r j -ed* However, c ar c c a rte have adopted the general th eo ry th a t lim ita tio n * ec<** tt^jj~jeo f o r tne f i l i n g o.f e i w do no t beglu to run u n tU th e euployo* knows o r oupht to know th e t be he* co n tracted the d iw e e e . Tne r e s u l t i s th a t e lt i a e ere f i l e d and allowed y ears a f t e r the en p lcy ren t has t c r e i n s t e i . te p a lly , such d o c trin es do not ckc se n se . Wit.'; re sp e c t to other types o f in ju r ie s o r i n eases of c a ts ye a c tio n s , e l l s ta te laws provide sons fix e d p erio d o f tin e w ith in vaioh c is in o u st be f i le d o r s u i t brought, Why not a s to those disease,?. dc not p ro fess to know the answer# - Poce the question, but l th respect to the n atter of compensation for p a rtia l d is a b ility fer the pne UMOConioses, a far more sc-rious problem. 1b presented, and the le g a l profession i s awaiting in fe r n o opinion frer. our aadical brethren before finding, the solu tion . I f , as and vben the radical profession can fin e tone sa tisfa c to ry f c r .w l. fo r evaluating such d is a b ility , I have no doubt that cur laws w ill be saended in th is respectj b-ut v* do not see... to have reached that stage yet. As s ta te d b e fo re , the law. of 11 s ta te s provide th a t no compensation s h a ll be paid f o r p a r t i a l d i s a b il i ty *ui2 c ^ u -Legislative provisions a t t e s t to provide lia ita o co-^ensaticr. th e re fo r, i t i s not r.v .-w vere to advocate p re -v is -;* iflT or ef ast such b e n e fits as we c ^ i i be enlightened upon that tubject by ti* i ^ B 5 & g" c>7 p e a k e r. who a w to follow , but I b e lie v e i t w ill be of in te r e s t fo r m to outline b rie fly the reasons fo r th is problem and to s ta te the arguments fo r and ag ain st the allowance of compensation fo r p artial disability. The old s to r y i s tru e th a t th e day we were born, we began to d ie . with advancing age, c o s t c f us shew lung changes demon s tra b le upon x -ray exam ination. h v .ry J.ylcyee engaged in a dusty tra d e nay show such Barkings which the a ed ich i p ro fessio n nay a tt r ib u t e in p a rt to h is exposure. As a m atter of f a c t , j-any s i l i c o tic s are engaged in trad e and should be continued in th e ir eaploynent even thougn they have demonstrable evidence of the disease Without is p a ira e n t of wage lo . s o r em barra^sr-int in the performance c f t h e i r d u tie s , From the stan d p o in t o f th e a y l o y t r , in fe e ls t h a t tc allow th a t employee compensation would ;aean th a t would be on the compensation p a y ro ll f o r l i f e , w ith the p riv ile g e c f r e opening ills claim from t i i s to tin e w ith incrooeing b en efits] in o th er words, every employee ie a p o te n tia l cuairu.nt wntre ne has been subjected to any dust exposure. In many in stan ces su c i employees iaay continue to perform t i e i r re g u la r d u tie s f o r a normal l i f e t i a e w ithout wage lo e s . But from the standpoint cf the employee, he f e e ls th a t he has su ffe red sane in ju ry --as d i s t in c t from the concept of d is a b ility ; th a t n is disease* s&j l a t e r bocc-j* complicated w ith some o th er in fe c tio n , re s u ltin g in wa.e lo s t or leading to death] furtherm ore, i f iiis e :y ic y a e n t i s term inated, he may be denied, employment in a s im ila r tra d e aay not be "disabled" but he is in ju re d . physical e x x -ln a tic n . He Keccntuy in a m etin g where I p a rtic ip a te d in a d io c is ric n of th is su b je ct u i t l l r . Vorwaid RECEIVED F.H.H&S " D A T E :JB iLLlJ2 S L M.E.M *age 8 nd Dr. Kayer, they used the te n - "d isfu n ctio n ". iereaps during the course of th e ir remarks, they *ay a t t e s t soue d efin itio n of that ter*. In summary, the reasons f o r denyiuig end g ran tin g cocpen- % sation for p a rtia l d isa b ility are as follow*: Reasons f o r Denying Compensation! 1 . Im possibility of medical evaluation of the extent of d isa b ility s . 2. Condensation should i<ot oc p-.dd unless the claim ant has su stain ed a vac1? lo s s . 3. Employer's l i a b i l i t y should oe f u l l y determined and discharged v ith in a reasonable tin e a f t e r term ination of exposure or employment. Reasons fo r Granting Corneasattorn 1 . Employee has received cone in ju ry . 2 . I f employment i s term in ated , employee may be unable to o b tain o th e r employment because of his condition. 3. Cc-vensation for. partial d isab ility from other diseases i s generally allowed. Four sta te s have le g is la t iv e formulae that attempt to answer th is problem. They are Karyland, Kerch Carolina, West V irginia and Wisconsin; and I co;raend thc-ir sta tu tes for your con sid eration . The g is t c. th eir provisions i s to provide lim ited b en efits for "partial d isa b ility * ', tno payment cf which discharges the employer from continuing l i a b i l i t y . Luo., nc-thons avoid the im position of unjust and unreasonable- costs -upon industry and nahe KH.H&S DATE:__J U L 3 i 1979 M.LM 9 50 th e l i a b i l i t y of the asployer to rs ig a b le and in su ra b le ; they also p lre t o the employee monetary b e n e fits d u rin t th e period of hie r e - s d ju s ta e n t i n o th e r eaployaent wnerc he I s removed from continuing h a za rd s. Ha7 I r e f e r b r ie f ly to the prov icio u s of the Wowxaen's Compensation Act o f West V irg in ia , w ith which I r-c-rjaps core f a a i l i a r both as to i t s su b je c t B a tte r end i t s a d m in istra tio n . The la v of th at state provides as follow si S ectio n 6- a . St&gfe6 of S i l i c o s i s : b e n e fits and Hode of P s y ^ n t to Lr.-.ployces and I^penacnts. An erj'-oyee s h a l l , f o r the p o ro s e s h ereo f, be deemed to have s i l i c o s i s i (1) In th e f i r s t s t a te when i t i s found by the commissioner th a t tbs e a r lie s t detectable sp ecific signs of s ilic o s is are present, whether or not cap acity fo r work i s o r has been i a p a ir tc by sacb s i l i c o sis; (2) In the second stag e vhen i s found 67 the commissioner th a t d e fin ite end sp e c ific physical signs of s i l i c o s i s are p re s e n t, and t h a t c ap a c ity f o r work i s o r has been impaired by th a t d ise ase; (3) In ^he th ird stage when i t i s found by th e co -t-izsiu n er th a t the employee h** s i l i c o s i s re s u ltin g in t o t a l permanent d is a b il i ty , whether or not accompanied by tu b ercu lo sis of the lungs.* Compensation payable f o r f i r s t stag e s i l i c o s i s i s the e\sr. of U ,C X ; f o r the second sta g e , 12 , 000. iu ch payment o;>ertes as o f u l l r e lease discharge of the employer fo r cpntunuing u ia o tlity . Ibore i s no requirem ent th a t the employee s h a ll f i l e claim ; i t i s w ithin h is e le c tio n to do sc . Tlie purpose of the s ta tu te ic to provide a fund for- his readjust.-jc-.nt in otiw r employment where he did not con tin u e to be exposed to the hazard of d u st.' As a p ra c tic a l n a tte r , t h i s law has worked su c c e ssfu lly . C e rta in ly , no s ta te :iac had r.ore se rio u s problems p .rtie u la rly w ith rc-ierc-nce to c u rt ex^crure among coal n in e rs . I t m ,v not be t I'C f u l l ansucr to the cue s w-.cn, but RECEIVED F.H.H&S xo DATE: MIL 3 i m M.E.M apparently has been sd sin iste red to the s a tis fa c tio n of eaployers end eaployees. 5 ry~s ' ' The foregoing d isc u ssio n has been p resented w ith the purpose of d irectin g your thoughts toward those questions th a t are troublesone in the a d x in ie tra tlo n of lavs dealing v ith compensation fo r pneunoconioses. State le g isla tu re s w ill continue to search fo r proper le g is la tiv e , form ulae. L et us hope th a t cur n o d ical b reth ren any help us to fin e the answer tc these p reb ieas and a ls o fin d soae aetuod to e ffe c t cure-of vhese d iseases. Reference (1): 50b 0 Four States 'JCLE Pr t \tr r\ r- .. . ntvt.VEp f.H.H&S DATEjJ J O L J j 1979 M.E.M RAJEAS, iO S S IS fl??!, OXAHOi-lA, SO-1ii CAROLINA. Reference (2): Twenty-one S tates AURARA, AFJ20SA, AK3A2SAS, CuLSSADO, FT.-RIDA, GIOHj IA, IDAHO, IOWA, MUffi-ASD, HAS:ACuJiLHS, ISCHIuAtf, KLaa-SOiA, 2.W Kj'WW-'LHI!--, X .V <L-*ICO, CiXGOK, ^ X I-V A U IA , SJJIS DAKuiA, , UTAH, VUis-SOKT, EST VIRGINIA. Reference (3)* Fourteen S ta te s AJ.IZDKA, CULORALv, FTORIRA, HAiJO, KA.rSaCHXETTS, KICHISAK, KIXcfOXA, K..? hAX-fKIri, 1L.W TORS, OHIO, FLiXITVAHIA, SWiU DAEOIA, UTAH, TLr-tv/AT. Reference (L)i Four S ta te s | ti'DKXH WuifcOXiXiiA^ VxrjTi*AAj X.-*