Dowden v. Industrial Accident Commission

Petitioners are the surviving widow and children of Emery G. Dowden, who suffered fatal injuries in the course of his employment. Petitioners applied to the Industrial Accident Commission for an increased award pur suant to Labor Code section 4553, contending that the accident occurred as the result of serious and wilful misconduct on the part of Dowden’s employer, Newton Polander. The commission denied the award and petitioners seek review.

For several years before his death Dowden had been employed as a worker on ranches operated by Polander in Colusa County. Occasionally it was necessary to…