Allen v. K-Mart

North Carolina Industrial Commission·Decided October 23, 1998·No. I.C. NO. 551155·Published

Opinion

In this case, the Full Commission has previously ruled upon counsel for plaintiff's request for a thirty-three and one-third percent (33 1/3%) attorney's fee. Counsel for plaintiff contends that upon his Motion, under G.S. § 97-90 the Full Commission is required to conduct a full evidentiary hearing on this issue. Further, counsel for plaintiff contends that this hearing/appeal must be heard by the same panel of the Full Commission which has already ruled on this exact issue.

Based on the relevant statutory provisions, counsel for plaintiff's contentions on this issue are without merit and are contrary to the clear meaning of the Act. Although an attorney may always file a Motion for Reconsideration with a Full Commission panel, such a Motion having been filed and ruled upon in this case, it would not make sense for the same panel to conduct a hearing of any type which is in actuality an appeal of its own prior ruling. The proper avenue, as outlined in G.S. § 97-90, is for counsel for plaintiff to pursue this issue to the senior resident judge of superior court.

Therefore, based on the above and after careful consideration, counsel for plaintiff's Motion for Hearing is hereby DENIED.

No additional costs are assessed at this time.

AMENDED OPINION AND AWARD FOR THE FULL COMMISSION
The Full Commission, with Commissioner Sellers dissenting, filed an Order on 3 February 1998 instructing the parties to obtain independent medical examinations of plaintiff by a rheumatologist and a psychiatrist. The report of Dr. Margaret Dorfman, psychiatrist, was received on 29 May 1998 and is admitted into the evidence of record. The report of Dr. Alan Spanos was received on 20 July 1998 and is also admitted into the evidence of record.

***********
Counsel for plaintiff's Motion for Reconsideration relates to the amount of attorney's fees approved as a percentage of the compensation awarded to plaintiff. Counsel for plaintiff has failed to show good ground in support of his Motion and therefore, said Motion is hereby DENIED. However, the Full Commission's prior Opinion and Award has been amended in Finding of Fact (33) to reflect that the fee agreement in question is unreasoanble.

Defendant's Motion for Reconsideration relates to the additional medical evidence requested by and received into evidence by the Full Commission. In its motion, defendant requests that it be allowed to obtain the deposition testimony of Dr. Dorfman and Dr. Spanos and that plaintiff be ordered to submit to an independent medical examination by a rheumatologist and psychiatrist of its choosing. Defendant has failed to show good ground in support of it's Motion and therefore, said Motion is DENIED.

The remainder of the Full Commission's prior Opinion and Award is unchanged and remains in full force and effect.

************
The Full Commission has reviewed the prior Opinion and Award based upon the record of the proceedings before Deputy Commissioner John A. Hedrick, the briefs and arguments on appeal and upon the medical reports submitted subsequent to 26 January 1998. The appealing party has shown good ground to reconsider the evidence. Having reconsidered the evidence of record, the Full Commission reverses the prior Opinion and Award and enters the following Opinion and Award.

***********
The Full Commission finds as fact and concludes as matters of law the following, which were entered into by the parties in a Pre-Trial Agreement and at the hearing on 13 August 1996 as:

STIPULATIONS
1. The date of plaintiff's alleged injury was 30 May 1995.

2. On that date, the parties were subject to, and bound by, the provisions of the North Carolina Workers' Compensation Act.

3. All parties are properly before the Industrial Commission which has jurisdiction over this matter.

4. All parties have been correctly designated, and there is no question as to misjoinder or nonjoinder of parties.

5. On that date, an employer-employee relationship existed between the parties.

6. Defendant is duly qualified as a self-insured employer.

7. Plaintiff's average weekly wage is to be determined.

8. A Vocational Evaluation Report, marked as Stipulated Exhibit Number Two, is admitted into evidence.

9. A set of plaintiff's medical records received by the Industrial Commission on 23 April 1997, is admitted into evidence.

EVIDENTIARY RULINGS
The objections appearing in the deposition of Dr. Miller are OVERRULED. A one page computer print out showing medical and disability compensation defendant has paid to or on behalf of plaintiff is ADMITTED into evidence.

***********
Based upon the evidence of record, the Full Commission makes the following:

FINDINGS OF FACT
1. At the time of the hearing on 13 August 1996, plaintiff was a forty-one year old female. Plaintiff has a ninth grade education. Her employment history included work as a carpet installer and as a professional apartment cleaner.

2. Plaintiff began working for defendant approximately eight months prior to 30 May 1995. Plaintiff worked for defendant as a third shift merchandise stocker. Plaintiff was responsible for stocking merchandise throughout defendant's store.

3. On 30 May 1995, at approximately 3:15 a.m., plaintiff was performing her usual duties for defendant. Plaintiff carried a heavy box containing stationery to a cart. When plaintiff lifted the box into the cart she experienced the immediate onset of pain in her left shoulder, back and side. As a result of this incident, plaintiff sustained a musculoskeletal strain.

4. Prior to 30 May 1995, plaintiff had no significant pre-existing medical conditions which would have affected her ability to engage in full-time, competitive employment.

5. The compensability of plaintiff's injury was accepted by defendant through an Industrial Commission Form 21 Agreement for Compensation, which was approved by the Commission on 3 April 1996. Pursuant to this Form 21, plaintiff was to be paid temporary total disability compensation at the rate of $149.61 per week beginning on 7 June 1995 and continuing for necessary weeks.

6. Despite her injury, plaintiff continued to work. She first sought medical treatment on 2 June 1995 from a Doctor's Urgent Care facility. An examination revealed that plaintiff had sustained pulled muscles from the back of her neck downward. Plaintiff was prescribed muscle relaxers and her arm was immobilized with a sling. Plaintiff was removed from work until her next appointment on 5 June 1995 and referred to physical therapy. On 5 June 1995, plaintiff had left shoulder pain and swelling in her left hand which was secondary to her use of the sling. Plaintiff was then removed from work until 9 June 1995.

7. As of 9 June 1995, plaintiff's shoulder pain continued, but she was released to return to light duty work with restrictions of no lifting, pulling or pushing. On 19 June 1995, plaintiff returned to work for defendant and attempted to perform the duties of a light duty position answering telephones.

8. Plaintiff was then referred by defendant to Dr. Lee A. Whitehurst, an orthopedist. Plaintiff was examined by Dr. Whitehurst on 20 June 1995 and reported pain which was worsening despite her physical therapy.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Allen v. K-Mart, (N.C. Super. Ct. 1998).

Allen v. K-Mart (Allen v. K-Mart) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Kisiah v. W.R. Kisiah Plumbing, Inc.
476 S.E.2d 434 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1996)