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Access over workers' compensation decisions, including En Banc, Significant Panel Decisions, and writ-denied cases.

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Carlucci v. Omnibus Printing Co.

The claimant, a pressman, developed various respiratory, pulmonary, and cardiac disorders during his employment. A Workers' Compensation Law Judge initially found a permanent partial disability. The Workers' Compensation Board later determined a permanent moderate partial disability and reduced the compensation award, which the claimant appealed. The appellate court reversed the Board's decision, concluding that the Board had incorrectly relied on inapplicable medical guidelines for low back total disability when assessing the claimant's condition. The case was subsequently remitted to the Workers’ Compensation Board for a proper re-assessment of the medical evidence.

Workers' CompensationPermanent Partial DisabilityMedical GuidelinesAppellate ReviewRemittalDisability AssessmentRespiratory DisordersCardiac DisordersPulmonary DisordersNew York Law
References
4
Case No. No. 13
Regular Panel Decision

Fagg v. Hutch Manufacturing Co.

This workers' compensation case involved an appeal by Hutch Manufacturing Company and its insurance carrier concerning an employee, Mrs. Fagg, who sustained a compensable injury. The appeal raised issues regarding the duration of temporary total disability (TTD) benefits, the extent of permanent partial disability (PPD), a 6% penalty for unpaid installments, and medical expenses. The Court dismissed a preliminary appeal as interlocutory. It found the trial court erred in determining the termination date of TTD, concluding that Mrs. Fagg's TTD benefits should cease on October 9, 1984, the latest date for maximum medical recovery according to Dr. Coughlin's evaluations. The Court affirmed the trial court's award of 65% PPD to the body as a whole, emphasizing the consideration of non-medical factors in assessing disability. Furthermore, the Court upheld the 6% penalty on unpaid compensation installments due to the employer's demonstrated bad faith. The case was remanded for a more explicit allocation of medical expenses.

Temporary Total DisabilityPermanent Partial DisabilityMedical Impairment RatingJudicial ReviewRemandPenalty for Non-PaymentMedical EvidenceObjective SymptomsSubjective ComplaintsWorkers' Compensation Appeal
References
12
Case No. ADJ10763960
Regular
May 20, 2019

DENNIS ROMERO vs. COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO

This case involves a workers' compensation appeal where the defendant, County of San Diego, sought reconsideration of an award granting the applicant, Dennis Romero, permanent disability. The defendant argued that the administrative law judge improperly overlapped factors of disability when assessing the applicant's $94\%$ permanent disability rating. The Appeals Board denied reconsideration, adopting the judge's report which found that the qualified medical evaluator considered factors beyond shortness of breath, such as left ventricular hypertrophy and lightheadedness, when determining impairments for hypertensive and coronary heart disease. The Board also cited legal precedent that the multiple disabilities rating schedule accounts for any overlap.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardPetition for ReconsiderationFindings Award and OrderDeputy SheriffIndustrial InjuryHeart InjuryHypertensionPermanent DisabilityHypertensive Heart DiseaseCoronary Heart Disease
References
1
Case No. 2019-01-0122
Regular Panel Decision
Jun 27, 2019

Lowder, William v. XPO Logistics Freight, Inc.

William Lowder, a driver for XPO Logistics, developed hernias on January 2, 2019, after delivering solar panels. XPO Logistics initially denied the claim but later accepted it as part of an ongoing mediation process. Mr. Lowder then requested a 25% penalty for the late payment of temporary disability benefits, specifically temporary partial disability benefits. The Court assessed a $1,098.71 penalty against XPO Logistics under Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-205(b)(3)(A) for failing to pay temporary disability benefits within twenty days of having knowledge of Mr. Lowder's disability, rejecting XPO's arguments that the penalty only applied to temporary total disability benefits or required a finding of 'bad faith'.

Workers' CompensationPenalty AssessmentTemporary Disability BenefitsLate PaymentHernia ClaimStatutory InterpretationBad FaithTennessee LawEmployer LiabilityDisability Benefits
References
5
Case No. ADJ1310387 (OAK 0333577)
Regular
Jan 16, 2014

DOREEN DAHL vs. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

This case concerns a workers' compensation claim for industrial injury to the applicant's neck and right shoulder. The primary issue on reconsideration was whether the applicant successfully rebutted the Diminished Future Earning Capacity (DFEC) adjustment factor in the Permanent Disability Rating Schedule (PDRS). The Board affirmed the WCJ's finding that the applicant's vocational expert provided sufficient testimony to rebut the PDRS rating for the shoulder injury by focusing on similarly situated workers, as permitted by *Ogilvie v. City and County of San Francisco*. The Board clarified that this *LeBoeuf* analysis can apply even with less than 100% permanent disability and does not impermissibly rely on non-industrial factors when assessing DFEC. Therefore, the WCJ's decision awarding future medical treatment and 79% permanent disability is affirmed.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardIndustrial InjuryNeck InjuryRight Shoulder InjuryMedical Records TechnicianCumulative PeriodPermanent DisabilityFuture Medical TreatmentDiminished Future Earning CapacityPermanent Disability Rating Schedule
References
11
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Donaldson v. Texas Department of Aging & Disability Services

David Donaldson appealed a trial court's summary judgment in favor of the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) on claims of race and disability discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment under the TCHRA and Title VII. Donaldson, an African-American employee diagnosed with multiple conditions including prostate cancer and PTSD, alleged DADS failed to accommodate his disabilities and discriminated against him through various adverse actions, culminating in his termination. The appellate court affirmed the summary judgment for DADS on the race discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment claims, finding insufficient evidence of discriminatory intent or materially adverse actions in those areas. However, the court reversed and remanded the reasonable accommodation claim, concluding that Donaldson presented a fact issue regarding DADS's failure to provide continued assistance for his disabilities despite initial accommodations. This decision partially reverses the trial court's judgment, necessitating further proceedings on the reasonable accommodation aspect of the disability discrimination claim.

DiscriminationRetaliationHostile Work EnvironmentDisability DiscriminationRace DiscriminationReasonable AccommodationSummary JudgmentTexas Commission on Human Rights ActTitle VIIEmployment Law
References
83
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Oct 14, 1999

Claim of Williams v. New York State Department of Transportation

The claimant, who suffered a work-related injury in 1988, initially received permanent partial disability benefits at a mild rate in May 1996. Dissatisfied with this assessment, the claimant appealed, presenting medical evidence suggesting a more severe disability. This led the Workers’ Compensation Board to restore the case to the trial calendar for further development of the record concerning the degree of disability post-May 6, 1996. Although two physicians testified, with one indicating a moderate disability and another a total disability, the Workers’ Compensation Law Judge (WCLJ) ultimately awarded benefits at a moderate partial disability rate. Upon the claimant's subsequent appeal, the Board ruled that the claimant was precluded from raising the issue of their degree of disability, citing regulatory provisions. The appellate court found that the Board had abused its discretion, as the issue was explicitly remanded by the Board previously, and the claimant was still aggrieved by the WCLJ's award despite an increase in benefits. Consequently, the court reversed the Board's decision and remitted the matter for further proceedings.

Workers' CompensationDisability AssessmentAppellate ReviewAbuse of DiscretionProcedural ErrorMedical EvidenceDegree of DisabilityRemittalNew York LawAdministrative Appeal
References
0
Case No. 2021 NY Slip Op 02579 [193 AD3d 1305]
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 29, 2021

Matter of New York Off. for People with Dev.al Disabilities (Civil Serv. Empls. Assn., Inc., Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO)

The New York Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (petitioner) sought to vacate an arbitration award that reinstated employee Chad Dominie, who was found to have sexually harassed a coworker. The arbitrator had ordered Dominie's reinstatement despite sustaining multiple charges of sexual harassment, citing mitigating factors. Supreme Court granted the petition, vacating the award and remitting for a new penalty before a different arbitrator. The Appellate Division affirmed this decision, holding that the arbitrator's unconditional reinstatement of Dominie violated the strong public policy against sexual harassment in the workplace. The court emphasized the egregious and escalating nature of Dominie's conduct, concluding that the award failed to protect other employees and conflicted with the employer's obligation to eliminate sexual harassment.

Sexual HarassmentWorkplace SafetyArbitration ReviewPublic Policy ViolationEmployee MisconductDisciplinary ProceedingsReinstatement OrderAppellate Court DecisionCollective BargainingEmployer Responsibility
References
9
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Downs v. CNA Insurance Co.

Mr. Downs, the plaintiff, appealed a workers' compensation judgment concerning the computation of his disability compensation. He sustained extensive injuries to his left wrist and elbow after falling thirty feet from a bucket while clearing power lines for his employer, Spiceland Tree Surgery Co. Despite undergoing multiple surgeries and physical therapy, Dr. David Gaw, an orthopedic surgeon, assessed a 20% impairment of his left upper extremity. The trial court initially set his disability rating at 25%, but the appellate court found this insufficient. The court considered various pertinent factors beyond anatomical disability, including job skills, education, and job opportunities, and ultimately concluded that Mr. Downs' vocational disability for his arm should be set at 50%. The case was remanded with instructions to re-award permanent partial disability, recalculate temporary partial disability payments, and order the defendant to pay additional medical expenses.

Workers' CompensationDisability CompensationPermanent Partial DisabilityVocational DisabilityArm InjuryFractureOrthopedic SurgeryMedical ImpairmentAppellate ReviewRemand
References
6
Case No. 2016-06-0910
Regular Panel Decision
Jul 24, 2018

Fegan, Mark v. CSI Medical, Inc.

The case involved Mark Fegan seeking temporary disability benefits from his employer, CSI Medical, Inc., and its carrier, Am Trust, following a back injury in October 2015. Initially, Dr. Sullivan declared Fegan at maximum medical improvement (MMI) in March 2016, leading to a cessation of benefits. However, Fegan later sought treatment from Dr. Ronald Lakatos in Ohio, who performed surgery in May 2017 and provided a medical opinion contradicting Dr. Sullivan's MMI assessment. Dr. Lakatos stated that Fegan was not at MMI as of March 2016 and remained disabled through May 2017. The Court weighed the medical opinions, giving more weight to Dr. Lakatos's in-depth analysis, and found that Mr. Fegan was likely to prevail in demonstrating his entitlement to temporary disability benefits for the period from April 1, 2016, through May 30, 2017. Consequently, the Court ordered CSI to pay lump-sum temporary total disability benefits totaling $19,389.52.

Temporary DisabilityMedical ImprovementSpinal InjurySurgeryMMI DisputeMedical EvidenceExpedited HearingBenefit DeterminationCausationDisability Duration
References
2
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