Safin v. Jones Laughlin Steel Corp.

Argued November 16, 1949. In this occupational disease case two facts were incontrovertibly established: first, claimant's husband died of lobar pneumonia; and second, he had been exposed to a silica hazard and had contracted silicosis. The compensation authorities were required to decide whether his death was "caused primarily (as definitely distinguished from a contributory or accelerating cause) by silicosis," within the meaning of the Act of July 2, 1937, P. L. 2714, § 5(b), 77 P. S. § 1105. Twice the referee disallowed the claim. In the first instance the board vacated his order and…