House v. Southern Stevedoring Co.

ERVIN, Circuit Judge:

Lonnie House seeks reconsideration of a lump sum award of workers’ compensation. He argues that the assistant deputy commissioner who approved the settlement between House and his employer in 1975 lacked statutory authority to certify awards under 33 U.S.C. § 908(i)(A) (1978), and that therefore the settlement was invalid. Alternatively, he contends that 33 U.S.C. *88§ 922 (1978), which requires that claims for reconsideration of awards be submitted within one year of the “date of the last payment of compensation,” should be construed to allow a claim filed within one year…