Stroer v. Georgia Pacific Corp.

HODGES, Justice.

The novel question presented is whether 85 O.S. 1981 § 111 precludes death benefits to the surviving spouse and dependents of an injured worker who commits suicide after incurring a work-related injury.

The decedent, George Washington Stroer, Jr., was 6'7" tall and weighed 300-315 lbs. He had been employed in the lumber business for thirty-one years in jobs which required a great deal of physical strength. Although he had an eighth grade education, the decedent experienced difficulty with reading and writing. On February 15, 1980, during the course of his employment with…