WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION COMMISSION

Chairman: Daniel T. Doherty, 1968

Harold Lee Frankel, 1965; Joseph 1. Paper, 1965; Lester H.
Crowther, 1966; Helen Elizabeth Brown, 1967; Paul T. Pitcher,
1969; Francis J. Valle, 1970.
DeLancey B. Scrivner, Secretary
Edward C. Jones, Director of Claims
Virginia R. Bames, Director of Administration
Meyer M. Ohen, Legal Assistant

108 E. Lexington Street, Baltimore 2 Telephone: 539-4360

The Workmen's Compensation Commission, created by Chapter
800, Acts of 1914 as the State Industrial Accident Commission, re-
ceived its present name by Chapter 684, Acts of 1957. Under the
provisions of Chapter 238, Acts of 1961, the Commission was in-
creased from five to seven members, all of whom must be appointed
by the Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The initial appointments of the Chairman and four associate com-
missioners dated from February 1, 1958, and were for periods of
eight, nine, ten, eleven, and twelve years. The appointments of the
two additional commissioners dated from February 1, 1961, and were
for four years each. As each term expires, the Governor shall appoint
a person to the full term of twelve years, or until his successor has
been appointed and qualified.

Like its predecessor, the Commission administers the Workmen's
Compensation Law. It hears contested cases and holds hearings
throughout the State; it receives reports of accidents and adjudicates
claims for compensation arising under the law; and it investigates
companies and firms which fail to carry insurance under the terms
of the Act. The Chairman sits on the trial of cases when his admin-
istrative and executive functions permit (Code 1957, Art. 101, secs.
1, 2, 5, 16, 38-40).

In recent years, the General Assembly has made many important
changes in the Workmen's Compensation Act. Among the most im-
portant have been acts increasing maximum temporary disability pay-
ments to $45.00 weekly; increasing maximum permanent total dis-
ability payments to $48.00 weekly; and increasing the maximum total
payable for total disability to $30,000. Other laws have broadened the
law in hernia cases; established a broad form of a Subsequent Injury
Fund; and removed limitations on payments of medical expenses. In
1951, the Act included many additional payments; also, for the first
time, Maryland came to be what is known as a nonscheduled State
for Occupational Diseases (Code 1957, Art. 101, secs. 21-36, 66).

Medical Board for Occupational Diseases

Chairman: James Frenkil, M.D., 1965
Whitmer B. Firor, M.D„ 1967; John Sheldon Eastland, M.D., 1969

The Medical Board for Occupational Diseases was established by
Chapter 465, Acts of 1939. The Governor appoints the members of
the Board for six-year terms with the approval of the Senate, from
lists of nominees submitted by the Deans of the schools of medicine
of the University of Maryland and the Johns Hopkins University
and the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland. Each of these
agencies submits a list of three persons, two of whom are experienced
in occupational diseases, and one of whom is an experienced physician
in good professional standing. Two must have had at least five years
practice in the treating, diagnosis, and care of industrial diseases,