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

Case No. 2015-07-0053
Regular Panel Decision
Sep 22, 2015

Boyd, Michael v. Revel Logging, LLC.

The employee, Michael Boyd, alleged a work-related back injury and a vascular leg injury from a fall. He received authorized treatment for his back but sought independent treatment for the vascular condition. The trial court deemed both injuries compensable, ordering continuing care for the vascular issue and payment for related medical expenses, while denying a request for a second panel of physicians for the back injury. On appeal by the employer, Revel Logging, LLC, the Appeals Board affirmed the denial of additional back injury benefits. However, it reversed the trial court's determination that the vascular injury was compensable and that the employer was liable for associated medical bills, remanding the case for further proceedings.

Workers' CompensationBack InjuryVascular InjuryCausationMedical TreatmentEmployee ClaimEmployer LiabilityAppealRemandPhysician Opinion
References
0
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Seiber v. Reeves Logging

This appeal concerns the Second Injury Fund's obligation to pay workers’ compensation benefits when an employer lacked liability insurance. James Russell Seiber, an employee of Reeves Logging, sustained a second work-related injury in 2007, leaving him permanently and totally disabled, following a prior injury in 2005. Reeves Logging, owned by Leon Reeves, did not have workers’ compensation insurance at the time of Seiber’s second injury, despite having previously elected coverage and failing to file a withdrawal form. The trial court initially awarded Seiber benefits, allocating 85% liability to the Second Injury Fund. However, this Court reversed that decision, ruling that the Second Injury Fund is not liable because the employer was not 'properly insured' under Tenn.Code Ann. § 50-6-208(a)(2) when the employee was injured.

Workers' CompensationSecond Injury FundEmployer LiabilityInsurance LapsePermanent DisabilityTotal DisabilityStatutory InterpretationTennessee LawEmployment LawInjury Benefits
References
32
Case No. 10-93-224-CV
Regular Panel Decision
May 18, 1994

Subsequent Injury Fund of the State of Texas (Formerly the Second Injury Fund) v. Larry Milligan

The Subsequent Injury Fund appeals a judgment awarding Larry Milligan lifetime benefits for injuries sustained at work. Milligan suffered two ankle injuries in 1987 and a third in 1989, leading to the total loss of use of both feet. He sued the Fund for lifetime benefits after settling with the workers' compensation carrier. The jury found permanent, total loss of use of both feet. The Fund challenged its statutory liability for lifetime benefits and the court's refusal to submit a jury question on total and permanent incapacity. The appellate court affirmed, finding the first issue unpreserved and the second resolved by a statutory conclusive presumption of total and permanent incapacity for the loss of both feet.

Workers' Compensation LawSubsequent Injury FundLifetime BenefitsTotal Permanent IncapacityAnkle InjuriesStatutory InterpretationAppellate ReviewJury InstructionsConclusive PresumptionOccupational Injuries
References
6
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Gould v. International Paper Co.

Plaintiff Lawrence Gould sustained a severe head injury while performing logging work for his father on property owned by International Paper Company. Plaintiff and his wife initiated an action against G.L. & R.L. Logging, Inc., International Paper Company, and International Paper Timberlands Operating Company, alleging that G.L. & R.L. Logging, Inc. left the property in a dangerous condition by allowing hanging trees to remain, which caused the plaintiff's injuries. Earlier in the litigation, International Paper Company was granted summary judgment, affirmed on appeal, on the grounds of a lack of proximate cause evidence. Subsequently, G.L. & R.L. Logging, Inc. moved for summary judgment, which the Supreme Court denied, citing factual issues from a second deposition. On appeal, the order denying summary judgment to G.L. & R.L. Logging, Inc. is reversed. The appellate court ruled that the doctrine of the law of the case precluded reconsideration of the proximate cause issue, as it had already been judicially determined on facts common to all defendants. The court also found the second deposition testimony to be inconsistent, speculative, and lacking probative value. Summary judgment is granted to G.L. & R.L. Logging, Inc., and the complaint against it is dismissed.

Summary JudgmentProximate CauseLaw of the CaseLogging AccidentPersonal InjuryAppellate ReviewMotion to DismissEmployer LiabilityDangerous Property ConditionDeposition Testimony
References
7
Case No. No. 08-07-00346-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 24, 2010

W.C. LaRock, D.C., P.C. D/B/A Auto & Work Injury Clinic and Maria Del Carmen Gallardo/Rosemary Smith v. Rosemary Smith/W.C. LaRock, D.C., P.C. D/B/A Auto & Work Injury Clinic and Maria Del Carmen Gallardo

Rosemary Smith, an El Paso Police Officer, sued W.C. LaRock, D.C., P.C., d/b/a Auto & Work Injury Clinic, and its employee Maria Gallardo, alleging negligence after a physical therapy session aggravated a prior back injury. The City of El Paso, Smith's worker's compensation subrogee, joined as a plaintiff. The jury found Gallardo negligent, awarding Smith $488,000, which the trial court reduced to $339,983.58. Both parties appealed. The Court of Appeals found the expert testimony on causation insufficient to establish that Gallardo's therapy proximately caused Smith's reherniation, as the expert only stated it was "possible." The court reversed the trial court's judgment.

Medical MalpracticeNegligenceCausationExpert TestimonyPhysical TherapyHerniated DiscSpinal SurgeryProximate CauseLegal SufficiencyAppeal
References
33
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Mar 13, 2019

Ferrell, Michael v. Wade Norris Logging, LLC

Mr. Ferrell sustained multiple work-related injuries, including to his neck, inner ear, and back, while working as a log-truck driver for Wade Norris Logging. The Court found his back injury compensable, accepting Dr. Raymond Gardocki's impairment rating of seven percent. For the neck injury, the Court sided with Dr. John Brophy's six percent impairment rating, rejecting Dr. Chung's higher assessment. The inner-ear injury received a zero percent impairment based on Dr. Christopher Hall's findings. The Court denied Mr. Ferrell's claim for permanent total disability but awarded permanent partial disability benefits, additional temporary total disability, future medical treatment, past medical bills, and attorney's fees.

Workers' Compensation ClaimsNeck Injury ImpairmentBack Injury CompensabilityInner-Ear Vestibular InjuryPermanent Partial Disability BenefitsPermanent Total Disability DenialMedical Causation DisputeAMA Guides Sixth EditionFunctional Capacity EvaluationTreating Physician Presumption of Correctness
References
6
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Johnson v. Second Injury Fund

Walter Johnson, who had previously lost vision in his right eye, suffered an injury at work resulting in the loss of vision in his left eye, leaving him totally and permanently disabled. He received benefits from Texas Employer’s Insurance Association and the Second Injury Fund. Johnson and his wife then sued Texas Industries, Inc. for negligence. Both TEIA and the Second Injury Fund intervened, seeking subrogation rights. The trial court denied the Second Injury Fund's claim to subrogation, but the court of appeals reversed. The Texas Supreme Court reviewed whether the Second Injury Fund is subrogated to Walter Johnson's rights in his personal injury suit. The Court concluded that subrogation is a legislative creation and the statute funding the Second Injury Fund explicitly enumerates funding methods without including subrogation. Therefore, the Supreme Court reversed the court of appeals' judgment and affirmed the trial court's decision, denying subrogation for the Second Injury Fund.

SubrogationSecond Injury FundWorkers' CompensationStatutory InterpretationExpressio Unius Est Exclusio AlteriusTotal DisabilityPersonal InjuryTexas Supreme CourtFunding MechanismsLegislative Intent
References
9
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Second Injury Fund v. Martinez

Vera Martinez, an injured worker, sought compensation after a workplace injury combined with a pre-existing condition resulted in total permanent incapacity. The Industrial Accident Board initially awarded her limited compensation. Martinez appealed this decision, filing suit against her compensation carrier and, over seven months later, against the Second Injury Fund. The appellate court addressed whether the statutory 20-day period for filing suit after appealing an Industrial Accident Board decision applies to claims against the Second Injury Fund. The court held that this jurisdictional prerequisite applies, and because Martinez failed to timely file suit against the Second Injury Fund, the trial court lacked jurisdiction over the Fund. Consequently, the judgment against the Second Injury Fund was reversed.

Workers' CompensationSecond Injury FundTexas LawJurisdictionTimelinessStatutory InterpretationAppellate ProcedureIndustrial Accident BoardPermanent IncapacityPolio
References
10
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Second Injury Fund v. American Motorists Insurance Co.

This case addresses whether a 1971 amendment to Texas workers' compensation law (Article 8306, Sections 12c and 12c-l) permits an insurance carrier to be reimbursed from the Second Injury Fund when an employee's total and permanent incapacity results from a combination of general, rather than specific, injuries. The trial court had granted a $16,000 judgment for the carrier, American Motorist Insurance Company, but the Second Injury Fund appealed. Citing the precedent set in Second Injury Fund v. Keaton, the appellate court clarified that the 1971 amendment did not expand the fund's liability beyond specific injuries. The court emphasized that legislative intent to alter this established rule was not evident in the amendment. Consequently, the appellate court reversed the trial court's judgment, ruling against reimbursement for general injuries.

Second Injury FundWorkers' CompensationGeneral InjuriesSpecific InjuriesReimbursementStatutory InterpretationArticle 8306Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St.Appellate ReviewLegislative Intent
References
6
Case No. M2004-01683-WC-R3-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Sep 22, 2005

Larry Hopper v. Oshkosh B'Gosh And State of Tennessee, Department of Labor, Division of Workers' Compensation, Second Injury Fund

Larry Hopper, employed by OshKosh B’Gosh, sustained a back injury in 1996 and settled the workers' compensation claim for 20% vocational disability in 1997. After losing his job, he sought to reopen the settlement, filing a motion for reconsideration against the Second Injury Fund only. The trial court granted this, increasing his vocational disability by 30% and assigning liability to the Second Injury Fund. On appeal, the Special Workers’ Compensation Appeals Panel reversed the trial court's decision, finding that the Second Injury Fund's liability is limited to subsequent compensable injuries, not the initial injury for which reconsideration was sought. Therefore, Mr. Hopper’s claim against the Second Injury Fund for a first injury reconsideration was deemed to lack standing and was dismissed.

Workers' CompensationSecond Injury FundVocational DisabilityReconsideration of SettlementStatute of LimitationsSubject Matter JurisdictionAppellate ReviewStatutory ConstructionPre-existing InjuryEmployer Liability
References
11
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