Volume 175, Page 240 View pdf image (33K) |
240 MARYLAND MANUAL
WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION COMMISSION Chairman: Daniel T. Doherty, 1980 Harold Lee Frankel, 1877; Joseph 1. Paper, 1977; Maurice Cardin, 1978; Clement R. Mercaldo, 1979; William R. Hughes, 1981; G. Hewlett Cobourn, 1981; Henry P. Johnson, 1982. Virginia R. Barnes, Secretary and Director of Administration Michael Cianos, Director of Claims Lillian Dailey, Legal Assistant 108 E. Lexington Street, Baltimore 21202 Telephone: 383-4700 The Workmen's Compensation Commission, created by Chapter 800, Acts of 1914 as the State Industrial Accident Commission, re- ceived its present name by Chapter 584, Acts of 1957. Under the provisions of Chapter 238, Acts of 1961, the Commission was in- creased from five to seven members, all of whom must be appointed by the Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The initial appointments of the Chairman and four associate com- missioners dated from February 1, 1958, and were for periods of eight, nine, ten, eleven, and twelve years. The appointments of the two additional commissioners dated from February 1. 1961, and were for four years each. As each term expires, the Governor shall appoint a person to the full term of twelve years, or until his successor has been appointed and qualified. Like its predecessor, the Commission administers the Workmen's Compensation Law. It hears contested cases and holds hearings throughout the State; it receives reports of accidents and adjudicates claims for compensation arising under the law; and it investigates companies and firms which fail to carry insurance under the terms of the Act. The Chairman sits on the trial of cases when his admin- istrative and executive functions permit (Code 1957, 1964 Repl. Vol., Art. 101, sees. 1, 2, 5, 16, 38-40). In recent years, the General Assembly has made many important changes in the Workmen's Compensation Act. Among the most im- portant have been acts increasing maximum temporary disability pay- ments to two-thirds of State average weekly wage; increasing maxi- mum permanent total disability payments to two-thirds of State aver- age weekly wage; and increasing the maximum total payable for total disability to $45,000. Other laws have broadened the law in hernia cases; established a broad form of a Subsequent Injury Fund; and removed limitations on payments of medical expenses. In 1951, the Act included many additional payments; also, for the first time, Maryland came to be what is known as a nonscheduled State for Occupational Diseases. In 1965, the Serious Disability Section was added. This provides for a greater amount and rate of compensation for a workman who sustains a serious disability, as defined by the Law (Code 1957, 1970 Repl. Vol., Art. 101, sees. 21-36, 66). Medical Board for Occupational Diseases Chairman: James Frenkil, M.D., 1977 Whitmer B. Firor, M.D., 1973; John Sheldon Eastland, M.D., 1976. The Medical Board for Occupational Diseases was established by Chapter 465, Acts of 1939. The Governor appoints the members of the Board for six-year terms, with the approval of the Senate, from lists of nominees submitted by the Deans of the schools of medicine of the University of Maryland and the Johns Hopkins University and the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland. Each of these agencies submits a list of three persons, two of whom are experienced in occupational diseases, and one of whom is an experienced physician |
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Volume 175, Page 240 View pdf image (33K) |
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