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Rice v. Thomasville Chair Co.
Citations: 76 S.E.2d 311; 238 N.C. 121; 1953 N.C. LEXIS 380Docket: 668
Court: Supreme Court of North Carolina; June 12, 1953; North Carolina; State Supreme Court
In Rice v. Thomasville Chair Co., the North Carolina Supreme Court addressed the requirements for a worker to claim compensation for a hernia under G.S. 97-2(r). The statute stipulates that to prove entitlement, the claimant must demonstrate five criteria: (1) an injury leading to hernia or rupture, (2) sudden appearance of the hernia, (3) accompanying pain, (4) immediate occurrence following an accident, and (5) absence of the hernia prior to the accident. The defendant contested the sufficiency of evidence supporting the Commission’s findings, particularly regarding whether the hernia resulted from an accident and whether it appeared suddenly. The Court found that the evidence, particularly the plaintiff's account of sharp pain and subsequent swelling, along with a medical opinion confirming the hernia, sufficiently supported the Commission’s findings. The ruling emphasized that the Industrial Commission serves as the fact-finding body under the Workmen's Compensation Act, and its findings are conclusive on appeal if backed by competent evidence, even if contradictory evidence exists. The judgment from the lower court was therefore affirmed.