[1] The degree of proof of causation in occupational accidents under Article 3 (1) of the former Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act

[2] The case reversing the judgment of the court below which held that an occupational accident does not occur in the case where a person infected with a non-presidential virus was engaged in a duty requiring daily drinking and died of liver cancer

[1] In order to become an occupational accident under Article 3(1) of the former Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (amended by Act No. 4826 of Dec. 22, 1994), there must be a causal relationship between the business and the disease which caused the death. However, even if the main cause of the death is not directly related to the business, the causal relationship shall be deemed to exist even in cases where at least the occupational course overlaps with the main cause of the disease and causes or worsens the disease. The causal relationship does not necessarily have to be clearly proved by medical and natural science, but it shall also be deemed that there is a proximate causal relationship between the business and the disease when considering all the circumstances, and it shall also be included in cases where the basic disease which can normally work or the existing disease caused the excessive performance of the duty and makes it worse rapidly beyond the natural speed.

[2] The case reversing the judgment of the court below which held that, in the case where a person infected with a non-pact infection virus is engaged in ordinary duties requiring drinking and died of liver infection, it does not constitute an occupational accident on the ground that, even though the person transferred to the non-pact virus was not related to his duties, it may be deemed that the infection was rapidly aggravated due to the reason that it was caused by the reason that it was continuously excessive drinking to carry out his duties, as the head of the labor team in charge, and as the head of the labor division, continuously aggravated the infection beyond

[1] Article 3 (1) of the former Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (amended by Act No. 4826 of Dec. 22, 1994) (see Article 4 of the current Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act), Article 26 of the Administrative Litigation Act

[1] Supreme Court Decision 93Nu9408 delivered on October 12, 1993 (Gong1993Ha, 3101), Supreme Court Decision 93Nu19030 delivered on February 25, 1994 (Gong1994Sang, 1118), Supreme Court Decision 94Nu7935 delivered on March 14, 1995 (Gong1995Sang, 16Nu6103 delivered on September 6, 1996 (Gong196Ha, 3029), Supreme Court Decision 96Nu6806 delivered on September 10, 196 (Gong196Ha, 3053)

Plaintiff

Korea Labor Welfare Corporation

Seoul High Court Decision 95Gu33810 delivered on November 22, 1996

The judgment below is reversed and the case is remanded to Seoul High Court.

The grounds of appeal are examined.

1. Fact-finding and judgment of the court below

원심판결 이유에 의하면, 원심은 그 내세운 증거를 종합하여, 원고의 남편인 소외 망인가 1982. 3. 11. 소외 기아자동차 주식회사에 입사하여 1991. 11. 1.부터는 소하리 공장의 노무담당 팀장으로, 1993. 1. 30.부터는 안양지점의 영업과장으로 각 근무하다가 같은 해 11. 4. 간경변 및 간악성종양으로 사망한 사실을 인정하고, 소외 망인는 1989.에 비(B)형 간염에 감염되었는데, 1991. 11. 1.부터 노무담당 팀장으로 근무하면서 근로자들과의 대화와 면담을 위하여 자주 술을 마시는 한편 그 업무의 특성상 동료 근로자들로부터 비난 등을 자주 받아 육체적 피로와 정신적 스트레스가 매우 컸고, 1993. 1. 30.부터 안양지점의 영업과장으로 근무하면서 1개월에 12대 내지 15대의 차량을 판매하는 등 영업활동에 적극적으로 대처함으로써 역시 육체적 피로와 정신적 스트레스가 매우 컸으며 이로 인하여 비형 간염이 1993. 6.경 만성 간염으로 진행되었다가 급격히 악화되어 간경변과 간암으로 진행되고 이로 인하여 사망하게 되었으므로 소외 망인의 사망은 업무상 재해에 해당한다는 원고의 주장에 대하여, 다시 내세운 증거들에 의하여 소외 망인는 1989.에 실시된 건강진단에서 비형 간염(바이러스) 보균자로 판명되었는데, 1990.과 1991.에 실시된 건강진단에서는 별다른 이상이 없었고, 1991. 11. 1.부터는 소하리 공장에서 노무담당 팀장으로 근무한 사실, 소외 망인는 노무담당 팀장으로 근무하면서 근로자들을 면담하여 애로사항을 청취하고 근로조건을 향상시키기 위한 자료를 수집하고 노사간의 마찰을 예방하기 위하여 현장을 순회하는 등의 업무를 수행하였고, 일과시간 후에 근로자들과 함께 회식하면서 음주하는 경우가 자주 있었던 사실, 소외 망인는 평소 대식가이면서 개인적으로 술을 즐기기도 하여 음주량은 2홉들이 소주 2병 정도이었으며, 1992.에 실시된 건강진단에서도 별다른 이상이 없었던 사실, 소외 망인는 1993. 6.경 감기몸살 증세가 있어 안양시 소재 안양병원에서 진단을 받은 결과 만성 비형 간염(활동성), 간경화 및 간암으로 진단되어 약 10일간 치료를 받은 다음 같은 달 16.부터 안양시 소재 안양중앙병원에서 입원치료를 받다가 간경변 및 간악성종양으로 같은 해 11. 4. 사망한 사실, 간경변은 우리 나라에 있어서 70 내지 80%가 비형 간염 바이러스에 의한 것이고, 간암도 우리 나라에 있어서는 70 내지 80%가 비형 간염 바이러스에 의한 것인 사실, 비형 바이러스성 간염의 경우 우리 나라에 있어 전 인구의 7 내지 8%가 건강 바이러스 보유자인데 건강 바이러스 보유자의 경우에는 정신적·육체적 과로나 과도한 음주로 인하여 만성 간염으로 이행되는 경우는 없는 사실, 만성 간염 환자인 경우에는 과도한 음주를 계속하거나 간기능이 악화된 상태에서 심한 육체적 피로가 있으면 간기능이 더욱 악화되는 수가 있고, 바이러스성 간질환 환자는 섭취한 알코올의 양에 비례하여 간손상을 입게 되는 사실, 만성 바이러스성 간염은 육체적 과로 없이도 악화될 수 있고 임상에 있어서는 이러한 경우가 더 많으며, 의학상 정신적 스트레스 자체가 직접적으로 간질환을 악화시키지는 않는 것으로 알려져 있고, 또한 의학상 만성 간염 자체가 정신적·육체적 스트레스 만으로 간경변 혹은 간암으로 진행되지는 않는 것으로 알려져 있고, 간염 보균자에게 있어서 정신적·육체적 과로로 인하여 간경변증과 간악성종양이 발병할 수 있는지에 대하여는 의학적 규명이 매우 어려운 상태인 사실, 가족 중에 간암 환자가 있으면 바이러스성 간염의 가족 내 감염으로 인하여 가족들도 간암이 생길 가능성이 높아지는데, 소외 망인의 어머니도 간암으로 사망한 사실 등을 인정하고, 이와 같은 사실인정을 바탕으로 소외 망인가 1989.경 비형 간염(바이러스) 보균자로 진단되었으나 건강에 별다른 이상이 없다가 1993. 6.경 만성 비형 간염(활동성), 간경화 및 간암으로 진단되어 계속 치료를 받던 중 같은 해 11. 4. 간경변 및 간악성종양으로 사망하였지만, 소외 망인가 수행한 업무가 특별히 과중하였다고 보여지지 아니하고, 또한 소외 망인가 노무담당 팀장으로 근무하였을 당시 일과시간 후에 근로자들과 회식하면서 음주하는 경우가 자주 있었다고 하여도 노무담당 팀장의 업무는 근로자들의 애로사항 청취, 근로조건에 관한 자료 수집, 근로현장 순회 등이고 소외 망인가 평소 개인적으로 술을 즐겼다는 사정 등에 비추어 위와 같은 음주가 원고의 주장과 같이 업무상 불가피한 음주라고 보기 어렵다는 점 등을 종합하여 보면 소외 망인가 비형 간염에 감염되었다가 만성 간염으로 진행되고 이어서 간경변과 간암으로 진행되어 사망한 것이 과도한 업무와 업무상 불가피한 음주로 인한 것으로서 소외 망인의 사망이 업무상 재해에 해당한다고 할 수 없다고 판단하였다.

2. Judgment of party members

A. In order to become an occupational accident under Article 3(1) of the former Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (amended by Act No. 4826 of Dec. 22, 1994), there must be a causal relationship between the business and the disease causing the death. However, even if the main cause of the disease causing the death is not directly related to the business, even if at least the occupational course overlaps with the main cause of the disease and causes or deteriorates the disease, the causal relationship should be deemed to exist. The causal relationship should not be clearly proved in medical and natural science, and if it is presumed that there is a proximate causal relationship between the business and the disease in light of all the circumstances, it shall be deemed that there is a proof even if the basic disease causing the normal work at ordinary level or the existing disease causing the excessive performance of the duty and becomes worse rapidly above the natural progress (see, e.g., Supreme Court Decision 96Nu68394, Sept. 10, 196; 200Nu39494, Apr. 39, 1995).

B. He returned to the instant case, first of all, there is a doubt that the lower court, although Nonparty Deceased diagnosed as a liver infection at around June 1989, there was no health defect even after being diagnosed as a chronic liver infection around June 1993 (on the basis of such perception, it is deemed that the first instance court could not have an impact on the outbreak or aggravation of chronic hepatitis even if Nonparty Deceased was under excessive drinking prior to June 1993).

According to the records, if the number of Non-Party 1's evidence No. 1-2's evidence No. 92's personal health examination statement of Non-Party 2's non-Party 92's "No special opinion exists", on the other hand, Gap evidence No. 2-2 (written ruling), Eul evidence No. 1-2 (written opinion of the head of the Seoul Southern District Labor Office) and Eul evidence No. 5's evidence No. 9 (written opinion of the head of the office of the original disposition and the ruling agency of Non-Party 9's industrial accident compensation insurance were found to be non-Party 9's non-party 9'. The plaintiff's non-party 9's non-party 2's personal health examination statement of Non-Party 9's non-party 9's non-party 9's non-party 1' was found to be non-party 9', and the plaintiff's non-party 2's non-party 9's personal health examination report of non-party 98'.

According to the fact-finding with the president of the Korean Medical Association of the court below adopted by the court below, the so-called "holder of a health virus" has not been implemented as chronic infection due to mental, physical or excessive drinking, and the court below emphasizes this point. In light of the fact-finding with regard to the non-party deceased in 1989, the court below did not determine that the non-party deceased was "holder of a health virus" of the so-called "health virus that is not likely to be implemented as chronic infection due to mental, physical, or excessive drinking until it is found in 193 after it was revealed that the non-party deceased 1 appeared to be a chronic infection patient, but there is no obvious material as to whether the non-party deceased's non-party 1 in 1989 was the holder of a health virus.

On the other hand, even according to the fact-finding acknowledged by the court below, where patients with chronic infection continue to drink excessive alcohol or have severe physical skin while their function becomes worse, and patients with viratory diseases suffer liver damage in proportion to the quantity of alcohol taken in. According to the fact-finding with respect to the president of the Korean Medical Association, as a result of the fact-finding with regard to the above president of the Korean Medical Association, there is "an excessive excessive alcohol consumption" with other viral infections and drugs that obstruct liver functions, and the extreme physical viral infections with chronic viruss may deteriorate. Thus, the court below should consider the above mentioned above and should consider whether the deceased could have aggravated disease by drinking or physical excess after September 1989.

C. According to the records, it is thought that the non-party 1 was infected with a virus on November 1, 1989 at the time when the non-party 1 was on the deceased's engine assembly, and the non-party 1 was on the non-party 1's face before he was on duty at the non-party 1's team leader, who was on duty at the non-party 1's team leader, and was on duty at the non-party 1's team leader's meeting for the purpose of improving working conditions and collecting materials to improve working conditions, and drinking together with the workers after the day. On January 30, 193, the non-party 1 was on duty at the non-party 1's team leader's meeting and the non-party 1's team leader was on duty at the non-party 1's team leader's meeting, and the non-party 1's team leader continued to have been on duty at the non-party 1's meeting's own end of treatment.

D. Ultimately, without further proceeding to examine the above points pointed out by the court below, concluding that the non-party deceased's infection was caused by the chronic liveritis and that the non-party deceased's death was caused by excessive work and inevitable drinking in the course of liver and liver cancer, is an error of law that affected the conclusion of the judgment by failing to exhaust all necessary deliberations by misapprehending the legal principles on occupational accidents under the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, and failing to exhaust all necessary deliberations, which affected the conclusion of the judgment. There is a reason to point this out.

3. Therefore, the judgment of the court below shall be reversed, and the case shall be remanded to the court below for a new trial and determination. It is so decided as per Disposition by the assent of all participating Justices.

Justices Final Young-young (Presiding Justice)