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Ford Motor Co. v. Industrial Comm'n

Case Date: 03/15/2001
Court: Industrial Commission
Docket No: 1-00-1950WC Rel

Industrial Commission Division
     Filed:3/15/01                         

 

NO. 1-00-1950WC

IN THE
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS
FIRST DISTRICT
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION DIVISION

FORD MOTOR COMPANY,
           Appellant,
v.
THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION, et al.
(Warren Schussler, Appellee.)


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)		 Appeal from Circuit Court
Cook County
No. 99L50778


Honorable
Joanne L. Lanigan,
Judge Presiding.

JUSTICE RARICK delivered the opinion of the court:

Mary H. Schussler filed an application for adjustment of claimpursuant to the Workers' Compensation Act (Act) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 48,par. 138.1 et seq.) following the death of her husband, Warren J.Schussler (decedent), contending decedent died as a result of his employmentwith Ford Motor Co., employer. The arbitrator determined decedent's death wascausally related to his employment. The Industrial Commission (Commission)affirmed the decision of the arbitrator, and the circuit court of Cook Countyconfirmed the decision of the Commission. Employer appeals contending thefinding of causal connection between decedent's death and his employment isagainst the manifest weight of the evidence. We affirm.

On July 14, 1987, a fire broke out on the roofof the paint building at employer's plant. The fire was in an oven where an"e coat," an anti-corrosion process, is applied to a car. It was partof decedent's job duties to assist in putting out the fire. Decedent and acoworker, James Porte, using a 1