77 Pa. Commw. 337 | Pa. Commw. Ct. | 1983
Opinion by
This is an appeal by Lonis D. Blass (Claimant) of an order of the Workmen’s Compensation Appeal Board (Board) which dismissed Claimant’s appeal and affirmed a referee’s denial of benefits.
Claimant was employed in the mining industry by the Shenandoah Mining Company (Shenandoah) from 1944 through October, 1974. From October, 1974 to June 25, 1975, he was employed in substantially the same capacity by Beltrami Enterprises, Inc. (Beltrami), a successor corporation which had purchased the Shenandoah operation in which Claimant iworked. After the purchase by Beltrami, Shenandoah ceased to exist. Claimant filed a Claim Petition on March 27, 1978, alleging total disability as a result of exposure to a silica hazard, in accordance with Section 108(k) of The Pennsylvania Workmen’s Compensation Act (Act).
At a pre-hearing conference it was determined that since Claimant had been employed by Beltrami for less than one year, Shenandoah was the employer liable under the Act.
Claimant argues first that Shenandoah had received actual or constructive notice of his injury because he complained to his Shenandoah foreman in 1972 of difficulties in performing his work. Claimant relies on Findlay Refractories v. Workmen’s Compensation Appeal Board, 52 Pa. Comonwealth Ct. 454, 415 A.2d 1270 (1980). Findlay is inapposite. In that case, the claimant had informed his foreman of his inability to work and quit the next day. The referee found that this constituted sufficient actual knowledge of the injury on the employer’s part to satisfy the notice requirements under Section 311 of the Act. We held that the employer’s knowledge of the injury was evident in litigation which was begun within four months of the Claimant’s last day of work. In the case sub judice, Claimant informed Shenandoah of difficulties in performing his work but continued to work for more than two years and claimed no disability until 1978. From Claimant’s 1972 complaints we cannot impute to Shenandoah actual knowledge that Claimant was disabled. See Republic Steel Corp. v. Workmen’s Compensation Appeal Board, 47 Pa. Commonwealth Ct. 74, 407 A.2d 117 (1979).
Claimant then argues that timely notice to Beltrami was sufficient under Section 311 of the Act. We agree that under the unique circumstances of this case such notice was adequate. The procedural no
Accordingly, we reverse.
Order
Now, September 29, 1983, the order of the Workmen’s Compensation Appeal Board in the above referenced matter, No. A-79266, dated October 27, 1981 is hereby reversed and the matter is remanded for the computation of benefits. Jurisdiction is relinquished.
Act of June 2, 1915, P.L. 736, as amended, added by Section 1 of the Act of October 17, 1972, P.L. 930, as amended, 77 P.S. §27.1 (k).
See Section 301(e)(2) of the Act, 77 P.S. §411(2).
77 P.S. §631.