COMPENSATION CLAIM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18875, 30 May 1923, Page 8

COMPENSATION CLAIM.

A STRAINED HEART. (Per United Press Association.) NAPIER, May 29. A compensation claim of some interest to employers of labour was held before the Arbitration Court to-day. John Double claimed that while in the employ of W. A. Amery and Sons (Napier) in October last he sustained a strain which affected his heart, as the result of a crowbar slipping while ho was prising a large stone in a quarry, and that in consequence he had been totally incapacitated since. Plaintiff said the crowbar struck him on the' chest, and that ho suffered some pain, and was obliged to ease up. He returned to work the day after tho accident, but complained of tho effects of the blow, and after that day he could not again resume, being compelled to enter a hospital. Defendants denied that there had been any accident, and contended that plaintiff had tor some time suffered from aneurism of the aorta, the natural development of which caused his present condition. Tho medical evidence was somewhat conflicting, but the court found that although aneurism existed before the date of the accident there was no evidence to show how far it had progressed. If some change in plaintiff’s condition was caused as the result of the strain, then that was an accident, and the court chose to believe the evidence of the accident given by plaintiff. The medical evidence brought by the defence agreed that plaintiff had had a strain. It may have, been that in the course of nature plaintiff would have become incapacitated, but tho court found that he received a strain arising out of the employment by defendants. Plaintiff had been in receipt of £4 Is 7d, and was entitled to 55 per cent, of that amount from tho date ot the accident till such time as ended, ■ suspended, diminished, or increased by the court. Plaintiff was also awarded £1 medical expenses, and £l2 12s general expenses.