Claim of Sheppard v. Demps

Section 16, subdivision 4, of the Workmen’s Compensation Law provides for payment of benefits to dependent grandchildren of a deceased employee. The infant claimant is an illegitimate child of a daughter of the deceased employee. An award was denied because of claimant’s illegitimacy. We are admonished to construe broadly and liberally the statute (Matter of Petrie, 215 N. Y. 335) which itself places no qualification or limitation upon the right of a dependent grandchild to death benefits. A “ child ” is defined by the statute to include an acknowledged illegitimate child dependent upon a…