A DIFFICULT CASE

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 45, 17 November 1926, Page 11

A DIFFICULT CASE

COMPENSATION FOR INJURY Dominion Special. Christchurch. November 16. Before Mr. Justice Frazer in the Arbitration Court to-day Richard Bernard Parker, an ex-fireman, proceeded against the Christchurch Fire Board under the Workers’ Compensation Act for compensation for injuries received on March 3 of this year, v hen plaintiff was struck on the head by the winch handle of the extension ladder during weeklv drill at the Christchurch Fire Station . Parker, who is 26 < ears of age, served in the British Army during the Great War and in the Mounted Police for over two vears rfter the war, and while out in India he Lad been shot through the heck'. Tn December, 1925. he arrived in Ne.v Zealand. “This is one of the most difficult cases I have been called upon to decide during the six vears of my ’erm of office,” said His Honour. “The question of fact turns upon a matter of which medical science is -.•ot able to tell us a great deal. The diverse nature of the'symptoms tends to make an analysis of the plaintiff’s condition more difficult still. It seems clear that until the. end of January he was apparently a normal man in a good state of health, but it seems clear also that he had some cerebral trouble such as a tumour, which was developing slowly. This condition was going on slowlv, and then came the accident, which was certainly nothing very much in itself. “A little afterwards the symptoms become aggravated. We are forced to the conclusion that the accident caused an exaggeration of the existing symptoms and caused the mental trouble tc develop far more rapidlv than, if the accident had not occurred. It is clenr that sooner or later similar symptoms would have made themselves apparent. We have come to the conclusion that some portion of the plaintiff’s disability was due to the accident, but we cannot attribute all the trouble to that cause. Some compensation must be given, and we are inclined to err on the side of liberality.” The Court announced that Parker would be allowed full compensation from April 9, when he was discharged from the wages sheet, until March 3, 1927. equalling £llO, phis £lO 10s costs and expenses.