Industrial Commission Division
Filed:3/15/01
NO. 1-00-1950WC
IN THE
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS
FIRST DISTRICT
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION DIVISION
| FORD MOTOR COMPANY, Appellant, v. THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION, et al. (Warren Schussler, Appellee.) | ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) | Appeal from Circuit Court Cook County No. 99L50778 Honorable Joanne L. Lanigan, Judge Presiding. |
JUSTICE RARICK delivered the opinion of the court:
Mary H. Schussler filed an application for adjustment of claimpursuant to the Workers' Compensation Act (Act) (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 48,par. 138.1 et seq.) following the death of her husband, Warren J.Schussler (decedent), contending decedent died as a result of his employmentwith Ford Motor Co., employer. The arbitrator determined decedent's death wascausally related to his employment. The Industrial Commission (Commission)affirmed the decision of the arbitrator, and the circuit court of Cook Countyconfirmed the decision of the Commission. Employer appeals contending thefinding of causal connection between decedent's death and his employment isagainst the manifest weight of the evidence. We affirm.
On July 14, 1987, a fire broke out on the roofof the paint building at employer's plant. The fire was in an oven where an"e coat," an anti-corrosion process, is applied to a car. It was partof decedent's job duties to assist in putting out the fire. Decedent and acoworker, James Porte, using a 1