Alexander v. Covel Manufacturing Company

ADAMS, J. This is an appeal from an order of the workmen's compensation commission awarding compensation to William Alexander, plaintiff and appellee, for the loss of an eye. The appeal is taken by the Covel Manufacturing Company, defendant, against whom the award was charged. In 1944, Alexander was treated for a minor injury to his eye. An examination by a medical doctor at that time indicated that his vision in the left eye was 20/200, which according to medical authorities can be characterized as an 80% loss of vision. His vision improved thereafter, according to his testimony, and he was able to see satisfactorily for a period of years. On February 6, 1947, Alexander went to work for Covel Manufacturing Company. He was not given a pre-employment physical examination although an employing officer of the defendant company testified that Alexander told him he had defective vision in his left eye at the time, a statement denied by plaintiff.