Kahle v. Plochman, Inc.

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

CLIFFORD, J.

The Workers’ Compensation Act precludes an award of compensation “when the injury or death is intentionally self-inflicted.” N.J.S.A. 34:15-7. Petitioner’s decedent was injured in an accident arising out of and in the course of her employment. Ten years later she committed suicide. The judge of compensation dismissed petitioner’s dependency claim petition on the ground that the employee’s death was “intentionally self-inflicted” within the meaning of the statutory preclusion. We ordered direct certification of petitioner’s appeal pending…