Harper v. Industrial Commission

In June of 1956, Thomas Harper, an employee of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company sustained an injury to his back while working at the company’s warehouse. His condition was subsequently diagnosed as a herniated or ruptured disc, and a laminectomy was performed and the disc removed. On March 18, 1957, his body was found in a parking lot, lying next to the open door of his car. He was dead from a self-inflicted shotgun wound. A note found in the car read “have a good wife & child just in pain.”

On behalf of herself and her minor child, his widow filed with the Industrial Commission a…