Lawson v. Industrial Commission
Docket: 1 CA-IC 428
Court: Court of Appeals of Arizona; August 18, 1970; Arizona; State Appellate Court
The Court of Appeals of Arizona reviewed the Industrial Commission's February 13, 1970, decision that denied Lester D. Lawson's workers' compensation claim. Lawson, a 63-year-old school maintenance worker, experienced confusion and distress at work on August 16, 1968, diagnosed as an acute brain syndrome linked to cerebral arteriosclerosis, attributed to blood insufficiency. He claimed that stress from his job triggered this condition. Expert testimonies were presented, with Dr. Samuel Wick supporting Lawson's claim, though he conceded uncertainty regarding the cause of the blood insufficiency, suggesting it could arise spontaneously. Contrarily, Dr. Abraham Ettleson, a neurosurgeon, and Dr. William B. McGrath, a psychiatrist, both found no work-related causation for Lawson's condition. The Court noted that awards from the Industrial Commission are upheld if supported by reasonable evidence and that conflicting medical testimonies do not warrant overturning the Commission's decision. Ultimately, the Court affirmed the Industrial Commission's award, agreeing it was reasonably supported by the evidence presented.