Albertson's, Inc. v. Moulds

834 So. 2d 1252, 2002 La.App. 3 Cir. 0753, 2002 La. App. LEXIS 4201, 2002 WL 31923645
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 30, 2002
DocketNo. 02-753
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 834 So. 2d 1252 (Albertson's, Inc. v. Moulds) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Albertson's, Inc. v. Moulds, 834 So. 2d 1252, 2002 La.App. 3 Cir. 0753, 2002 La. App. LEXIS 4201, 2002 WL 31923645 (La. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

| THIBODEAUX, Judge.

In this workers’ compensation case, plaintiff, Albertson’s, Inc., appeals a judgment of the Office of Workers’ Compensation (“OWC”) in favor of the defendant, Jessica Moulds, denying Albertson’s request for termination and forfeiture of Moulds’ workers’ compensation benefits. The OWC concluded that Ms. Moulds had not misrepresented the extent of her injuries nor her inability to return to work. It denied claims of employee fraud under La.R.S. 23:1208. As a result, Albertson’s request for restitution of benefits was denied, and Ms. Moulds’ benefits, including past due benefits, were reinstated. Ms. Moulds appeals the judgment of the OWC, which denied penalties and attorney fees against Albertson’s on the grounds that its [1254]*1254discontinuation of benefits was not arbitrary and capricious.

For the following reasons, we affirm.

Evidence that Ms. Moulds sustained an injury while in the course and scope of her employment is well-supported. Thus, she is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. However, Albertson’s termination of benefits cannot be deemed arbitrary and capricious based on the facts before us. We, therefore, deny Ms. Moulds’ request for attorney fees.

I.

ISSUES

Issues of Albertson’s, Inc, as Appellant

We shall consider the following issues on appeal:

(1) whether the OWC erred in its denial of Albertson’s request for termination and forfeiture of workers’ compensation benefits?
| ?,(2) whether the OWC erred in awarding past indemnity benefits when Ms. Moulds was offered a job position within her physical capacity?

Issue of Jessica Moulds, as Appellee

Whether Albertson’s, Inc. was arbitrary and capricious in its discontinuance of Jessica Moulds’ workers’ compensation benefits, giving rise to an award of attorney fees and penalties, will be considered.

II.

FACTS

On November 11, 2000, Jessica Moulds, a full-time lobby clerk at Albertson’s grocery store in Lake Charles, Louisiana, suffered a low back strain while pushing a box of merchandise in the store. As a result of her injury, Ms. Moulds received workers’ compensation benefits based on her average weekly wage of $322.00 per week. Her weekly indemnity benefits amounted to a rate of $214.67 from the date of her injury. On June 15, 2001, Albertson’s discontinued Ms. Moulds’ workers’ compensation benefits, alleging that Ms. Moulds made false statements concerning her physical condition and ability to return to work. Pursuant to La.R.S. 28:1208, Albertson’s filed a disputed claim for compensation of benefits based on fraud.

Albertson’s disputed claim for compensation was sought after video surveillance purportedly illustrated that Ms. Moulds was able to do some physical activity despite her contention that she could not stand for more than ten minutes. Prior to the filing of the claim, Albertson’s offered Ms. Moulds a light-duty employment position to accommodate her injury. However, Ms. Moulds refused the position asserting that she could not do any work. The light-duty position was goffered to Ms. Moulds when her treating physician released her back to work on a limited basis. However, Dr. Erich Wolf later rescinded the release after Ms. Moulds informed him that she continued to suffer pain from the injury. Further, Dr. Wolf informed Ms. Moulds that a second surgery may be required to remedy her back troubles.

The surveillance tape was conducted by a private investigator, Mark Staub, hired by Albertson’s. Staub conducted 96 hours of surveillance between June 15-June 21, 2001, primarily at 735 East School Street, a building that the Lake Charles Police Officer’s Association (“L.C.P.O.A.”) uses to conduct its business operations. On those days, Staub witnessed Ms. Moulds picking up donations from various residents in the Lake Charles area for the L.C.P.O.A. The surveillance tape illustrated that Ms. Moulds was not wearing her lumbar corset or T.L.S.O. brace as prescribed by her [1255]*1255doctor and that Ms. Moulds was able to engage in some physical activity. Ms. Moulds asserted that she often laid on a sofa inside the office building to relieve her back pain. Additionally, she did not pick up anything over ten pounds while injured.

Ms. Moulds’ parents, Kenneth and Kathryn Laughlin, were volunteer workers for the L.C.P.O.A. The L.C.P.O.A. hired Capital Telemarketing Services, Inc.1 (“Capital”) of Houston, Texas, to aid them in raising money for its police camp. Capital received 40% of the monies raised for its services. The L.C.P.O.A. would provide a check to Mr. Laughlin for 40% of the donations. Mr. Laughlin, in turn, compensated each paid employee of Capital working in that office. The remaining funds were used for the upkeep and maintenance of the car used to pick up donations, gas, electricity for the building, and office supplies necessary to its operation. Any | remaining money was placed in the Capital account. Ms. Moulds asserted that neither she nor her parents were ever paid for picking up donations. Further, Ms. Moulds argued that she picked up donations only to assist her parents who were having car trouble during that week. Albertson’s argued that Ms. Moulds was receiving earnings from Capital.

According to the L.C.P.O.A.’s fundrais-ing records, payments were made to Capital’s paid employees from the 40% Capital received. One of the employee’s, on the records, name began with the initials “JES.” Albertson’s concluded that “JES” was shortened for Jessica Moulds and that Ms. Moulds was receiving wages from Capital and the OWC simultaneously. Ms. Laughlin asserted that “JES” is a shortened form of one of Capital’s employees from Conroe, Texas, and not Jessica Moulds. Detective Jimmy Bailey, president of the L.C.P.O.A., could not confirm that “JES” was indeed Jessica Moulds. Nevertheless, these observations and evidence led Albertson’s to terminate Ms. Moulds’ workers’ compensation benefits.

On July 24, 2001, Ms. Moulds filed an answer in response to Albertson’s disputed claim of compensation and petition of forfeiture denying each allegation. In addition, Ms. Moulds filed a reconventional demand asserting that she was entitled to disability benefits and that Albertson’s discontinuation of her benefits was arbitrary and capricious. In response, Albertson’s denied Ms. Moulds’ reconventional demand, and on July 27, 2001, Albertson’s supplemented its original petition requesting reimbursement of all benefits paid to Ms. Moulds based on the alleged fraud. Again, Ms. Moulds denied all allegations.

On January 16, 2002, after making efforts to mediate, this case came before the Office of Workers’ Compensation. After post-trial briefs were submitted, the workers’ compensation judge rendered judgment denying Albertson’s claim of [..¡forfeiture of workers’ compensation benefits, and its request for reimbursement of those benefits. According to the workers’ compensation judge, Albertson’s had not adequately proved that Ms. Moulds was working for money while receiving workers’ compensation benefits. Further, the workers’ compensation judge found that Ms. Moulds was entitled to benefits, including past due benefits; however, penalties and attorney fees would not be assessed against Albertson’s for terminating benefits.

Awarding Indemnity Benefits

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Bluebook (online)
834 So. 2d 1252, 2002 La.App. 3 Cir. 0753, 2002 La. App. LEXIS 4201, 2002 WL 31923645, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/albertsons-inc-v-moulds-lactapp-2002.