Hill v. State Accident Insurance Fund

The issues in this workers’ compensation appeal are the construction of the 1975 amendment 1 to the definition of permanent total disability in ORS 656.206(l)(a) and whether claimant should have been classified as permanently totally disabled under the statute as amended.

The Statute

The injury in this case occurred after the effective date of the 1975 amendment to ORS 656.206(l)(a) which defines permanent total disability. Prior to amendment, ORS 656.206(l)(a) read as follows:

" 'Permanent total disability’ means the loss, including preexisting disability, of both feet or hands, or one foot and…