THE STATE INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT
COMMISSION

741 Equitable Building, Baltimore.

Name. Term Expires. Postoffice.
Commission:

Robert H. Carr, Chairman. ... ... ... 1935 Baltimore
Omar D. Crothers . .. , ... ... .........1933 . Elkton
George Louis Eppler .. .. ... ...........1931 ... ... Cumberland.

Secretary, Albert E. Brown, Baltimore,

Governor appoints three, not more than two of whom shall be of the
same political faith, one for 6 years, one for 4 years, and one for 2
years, and as these terms expire the successor is appointed for 6 years.
The Governor designates the chairman. (Ch. 800, 1914.)

The State Industrial Accident Commission is charged with the duty
of administering the Workmen's Compensation Law. The law provides,
first, for the payment of compensation to employees injured in certain
extra-hazardous employments, and to their dependents in case of death;
second, that all employers in such occupations shall secure the payment
of such compensation by insuring their liability in a stock company,
or the State Accident Fund, or by proving to the satisfaction of the
Commission their financial ability to pay the compensation.

The business of the Commission is to administer the Workmen's
Compensation Act and involves determining what occupations are in-
cluded, receiving reports of accidents, receiving, investigating and
adjudicating claims arising under the Act. Hearings are held in con-
tested cases. In addition to these duties, the Commission administers
the State Accident Fund, which is provided by the Act as one of the
methods by which employers must insure.

During the year ending October 31, 1928, there was a total of 41,636
industrial accidents reported to the Commission, This was 4,291 cases
less than the number reported in the preceding year. Out of this number
there were 14,647 claims filed for compensation, of which 144 were claims
in fatal accidents, as against 15,322 claims filed during the year ending
October 31, 1927, 189 of which were claims in fatal cases. As a result
of last year's work, there was paid out to injured employees and their
dependents the sum of $1,419,168.65, which included the payment of com-
pensation, funeral and medical expenses, etc. In addition to the amount
herein mentioned, there was $361,647.77 paid for medical expenses in
case's where their was no claim for compensation.

When the General Assembly of Maryland in 1914 passed the Work-
men's Compensation Act, they recognized the fact that employers might
be put in the position where they would not be able to comply with
the Act due to the fact that the private insurance companies would
refuse to carry their risk. Furthermore, they felt that inasmuch as
this form of insurance was compulsory under the State Law, that they
should provide a place where the insurance could be secured at prac-
tically the cost of writing this form of insurance. They, therefore,
created the State Accident Fund to be administered by the State Indus-
trial Accident Commission.