Olsen v. LABOR COM'N

Olsen v. Labor Commission - Plain English Summary

What Happened

Olsen, an employee of Utah Concrete Pipe Co., suffered an amputation injury at work in 1963. Years later, he applied for permanent total disability benefits, claiming he could no longer work due to this injury.

The Court's Decision

The Utah Court of Appeals sided with the Labor Commission and denied Olsen's benefits claim. The court found that despite losing a limb in the workplace accident, Olsen had successfully worked for 23 years after his injury. Because he demonstrated he could perform regular, dependable work during those two decades, he failed to prove he was now completely unable to work.

Why This Matters for Workers

This case shows that workers seeking permanent total disability benefits must prove they genuinely cannot work. Simply having a serious workplace injury isn't enough—the employer can argue that if you worked successfully for many years after the injury, you likely still can. Workers applying for these benefits should be prepared to demonstrate they've exhausted all work options and that their injury truly prevents them from holding any job.