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304 Minn. 587

231 N.W.2d 554

Bohnhoff v. ALLAN ENGINEERING COMPANY

Supreme Court of Minnesota

Decided June 27, 1975

Supreme Court of Minnesota · decided 1975-06-27

<bold>Workmen's compensation — proceedings — vacating award based</bold> <bold>on settlement — propriety</bold>.

Cited by 8 later decisions — most recently June 1984

6 state decisions

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“the basic concern in determining whether sufficient cause exists to set aside an award is to assure a compensation proportionate to the degree and duration of disability.”

quoted by 1 later decision, including Krebsbach v. LAKE LILLIAN CO-OP. CREAM. ASS'N

Relies on Mattson v. Abate · Elsenpeter v. Potvin · Wollschlager v. STANDARD CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1975-06-27

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

Per Curiam.

¶1 Relators seek review of an order of the Workmen’s Compensation Commission vacating an earlier award based upon a settlement. This issue is whether in so ordering, the commission abused its discretion. We hold that it did not.

¶2 By authority of Minn. St. 176.461 and 176.521, the commission may set aside an award based on a settlement for cause. We have held “cause” to include a substantial change in the employee’s condition. Wollschlager v. Standard Const. Co. 300 Minn. 550, 220 N. W. 2d 346 (1974); Mattson v. Abate, 279 Minn. 287, 156 N. W. 2d 738 (1968). The basic underlying concern in a determination of cause sufficient to set aside an award is “to assure a compensation proportionate to the degree and duration of disability.” Elsenpeter v. Potvin, 213 Minn. 129, 132, 5 N. W. 2d 499, 501 (1942).

¶3 In the instant case the commission found that there was good cause for reopening the award in that the employee’s medical condition had materially changed. We have examined the record and conclude that it reasonably supports this finding. We conclude that the commission did not abuse its discretion in vacating the award.

¶4 Respondent-employee is allowed $350 attorneys fees on this appeal.

¶5 Affirmed.

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