368/Maryland Manual

WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION
COMMISSION

Chairperson: Charles J. Krysiak, 1992

Sidney W. Albert, 1981; Carmel Snow, 1981;
Francis J. Valle, 1982; Harold Lee Frankel,
1989; Edward A. Palamaro, 1990; G. Joseph
Sills, Jr., 1989; Clement R. Mercaldo, 1991.

Virginia R. Barnes, Secretary and Director of Ad-
ministration

William Hemelt, Director of Claims
Robert L. Dodson, Chief, Hearing Division

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, received
its present name by Chapter 584, Acts of 1957.
Under the provisions of Chapter 238, Acts of
1961, the Commission was increased from five to
seven members, all of whom are appointed by the
Governor with the advice and consent of the Sen-
ate for terms of twelve years.

Like its predecessor, the Commission adminis-
ters the Workmen's Compensation Law. It hears
contested cases and holds hearings throughout
the State; it receives reports of accidents and ad-
judicates claims for compensation arising under
the law; and it investigates companies and firms
that fail to carry insurance under the terms of the
Act. The Chairperson sits on the trial of eases
when his administrative and executive functions
permit (Code 1957, Art. 101, secs. 1, 2, 5, 16,
38-40).

In recent years the General Assembly has made
many important changes in the Workmen's Com-
pensation Act. Among the most significant have
been acts increasing maximum temporary disabili-
ty payment to one hundred percent of State aver-
age weekly wage; increasing maximum permanent
total disability payments to one hundred percent
of State average weekly wage; and increasing the
maximum total payable for total disability to
$45,000, provided, however, that if the employee's
total disability shall continue after a total of
$45,000 has been paid, then further weekly pay-
ments at the rate previously paid shall be paid to
him during such disability. In 1965 the Serious
Disability Section was added to the Act. This
provides for a greater amount and rate of com-
pensation for a workman who sustains a serious

MEDICAL BOARD FOR
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES

Chairperson: James Frenkil, M.D., 1983

John F. Schaefer, M.D., 1981; J. Howard Frantz,
M.D.,1985

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, The Johns Hopkins University, and
the Medical and Chirugical Faculty of Maryland.
Each of these agencies submits a list of three per-
sons, two of whom are experienced in occupation-
al diseases and one of whom is an experienced
physician in good professional standing. Two
must have had at least five years practice in the
treating, diagnosis, and care of industrial diseases,
and a third must have been trained in roentgenol-
ogy and must have had five years practice and ex-
perience. The Governor designates the Chair-
person of the Board. The Board hears and adjudi-
cates all claims for compensation for disability
caused by an occupational disease. The decisions
of the Board are subject to review by the
Workmen's Compensation Commission (Code
1957, Art. 101, secs. 22-29).

GOVERNOR'S COMMISSION TO
REVIEW LAWS GOVERNING THE
WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION LAWS

Chairperson: Clement R. Mercaldo

Sidney Blum, Thomas E. Cinnamond, Ada Ev-
ans, John S. Hebb III, John J. Kent, Charles J.
Krysiak, Eli M. Lippman, Douglas Macnab,
H. George Meredith, Alfred M. Porth, Maurice
J. Pressman, Norman R. Stone, Jr., Joseph P.
Wiley.

108 E. Lexington Street
Baltimore 21202 Telephone: 383-4700

This Commission was originally created by the
Governor in 1959 to improve the Workmen's
Compensation Law and to insure that changes in
the law are made to improve the workmen's com-
pensation system in accordance with the stan-
dards, but at the same time to insure that Mary-