Brown

Petitioner Samuel C. Brown, born August 26, 1907, filed for adjudication of his claim on December 28, 1967. He named Cal-Pat Growers, Inc. and San Joaquin Cotton Oil Co. as employers and State Compensation Insurance Fund and the Hartford Insurance Group as the respective insurers. He claimed that he had suffered chest (internal) injuries due to exposure to cotton dust while working as a cotton gin foreman from August 15, 1952 to October 10, 1966.

His claim was eventually expanded to include claims against the following employers and insurers for the periods of employment set forth below:

There were numerous other employers for whom no insurance carriers were named or against whom petitioner (hereafter Brown) did not allege exposure to cotton gin dust. The claims against the aforementioned four employers and their respective insurers were settled for a total sum of $9,500 by way of compromise and release, which was approved by the referee on January 20, 1969.

Brown applied for Subsequent Injuries Fund (hereafter Fund) benefits on October 9, 1968. Over objection by the Fund that there was no evidence of any disability, only pathology, prior to the date of the industrial…