Illinois Court of Claims Opinions
Line of Duty Compensation
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Swift v. State of Illinois

8 Ill. Ct. Cl. 495 Illinois Court of Claims Filed 1935-03-13 No. 1894
Disposition: (No. 1894-Claim denied.) Agency: Illinois National Guard
Cite as: Swift v. State of Illinois, 8 Ill. Ct. Cl. 495 (1935)
Line of Duty Compensation 8 denied 1930s Swift v. State of Illinois 8 Ill. Ct. Cl. 495 1935-03-13 (No. 1894-Claim denied.) /opinions/v08-p0485-2/

WILLIAM J. SWIFT, Claimant, v. STATE OF ILLINOIS, Respondent.

Case summary

Major Swift claimed workers' compensation for an injury incurred while on duty at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. The court denied the claim because he was an official of the state and thus excluded from the Workmen's Compensation Act, and the military code provided other relief.

Claim type: Line Of Duty Death

AI-generated summary from the opinion text — may contain errors. The opinion text and PDF above are the official record.

Headnotes

  1. PLEADING-rules of court. Where declaration fails to set forth matters required by rules of court a motion to dismiss will be sustained.
  2. WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ACT-applicable to employees only. The provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Act are only applicable to employees of the State engaged in hazardous occupation and not to officials thereof.
  3. SAME-official. A major in the Illinois National Guard is an official of the State and not an employee.

The declaration in this case charges that on the 13th day of August, 1931, the claimant was injured by reason of an accident arising out of and the course of his employment. The claim was filed on April 19, 1932. The claim set forth is in accordance with the regular forms used by the Industrial Commission of the State of Illinois, and alleges that William J. Swift was a major in the Illinois National Guard and that he tripped on a sapling while at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, and requests that he be allowed the sum of $275.00 on account of medical care and attendance; $15.00 per week for ten weeks temporary total disability; $15.00 per week for 190 weeks loss or loss of use of leg under Paragraph (e) of Section 8.

This case is pending upon a motion to dismiss.

Major Swift was the senior Medical Officer of his outfit, and over his own signature in his annual physical report he stated that he had received a fracture of the left tibia in 1931 and had a complete recovery.

The rules of this court require that the declaration show whether or not the claim has been presented to any department, etc., and, if so, the action, if any, taken thereon. There is no allegation in the declaration showing that the claimant complied with this rule.

The Military Code of this State provides for adequate relief to officers and enlisted men injured in line of duty.

This claim is made on the theory that the Workmen's Compensation Act applies. Claimant is in error in this. An exception is made in the case of an official of the State. We hold that Major Swift was an official within Section 5 of the Compensation Act.

The motion to dismiss will, therefore, be sustained. Case dismissed.

Official volume 8 (Containing cases in which opinions were filed between July 1, 1933–June 30, 1935, and advisory Opinions furnished University of Illinois)  ·  All opinions in this volume  ·  Also on CourtListener

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