Ponder v. Manchester Housing Authority

OPINION

REID, Chief Justice.

In this workers’ compensation death case, the issue presented is whether the trial court erred in failing to commute to a lump sum, death benefits awarded to the employee’s surviving spouse and other dependents. The trial court found that commutation would not be appropriate under the facts presented. This Court’s review of the record shows that the dependents are entitled to lump sum payments.

On July 12, 1991, Delton Thomas Ponder, Sr., died as the result of a heart attack precipitated by work-related activity. At the time of death, he was employed as a maintenance…