Berry, Juwana v. Community Health Services

2016 TN WC 111
CourtTennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims
DecidedMay 11, 2016
Docket2015-06-0700
StatusPublished

This text of 2016 TN WC 111 (Berry, Juwana v. Community Health Services) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Tennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Berry, Juwana v. Community Health Services, 2016 TN WC 111 (Tenn. Super. Ct. 2016).

Opinion

Fll___ED May 11,. 2016

TN COURT OF \l ORKIR.S ' COMPE NSATIO N CLAn IS

Time: 2:~·8 Pl\1

TENNESSEE BUREAU OF WORKERS' COMEPNSATION IN THE COURT OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS AT NASHVILLE

Juwana Berry, Docket No.: 2015-06-0700 Employee, v. State File No.: 3646-2015 Community Health Services, Employer. Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer

EXPEDITED HEARING ORDER DENYING MEDICAL BENEFITS (REVIEW OF THE FILE)

THIS CAUSE came before the undersigned workers' compensation judge upon the Request for Expedited Hearing filed by the employee, Juwana Berry, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-239 (2015). Ms. Berry requested the Court decide this matter upon a review of the file without an evidentiary hearing. Community Health Services (CHS), the employer, did not object to a review-of-the-file determination, reserving its right to object to the Court's consideration of particular documents. The Court issued a docketing notice (Ex. P) on April 18, 20 16, to which both parties responded. 1

This Court finds it needs no additional information to determine whether Ms. Berry is likely to prevail at a hearing on the merits of the claim. Accordingly, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-239( d)(2) (20 15), Tennessee Compilation Rules and Regulations 0800-02-21-.14(1)(c) (2015), and Rule 7.02 of the Practices and Procedures of the Court of Workers' Compensation Claims (20 15), the Court decides this matter upon a review of the written materials.

The central legal issue at this stage of the claim is whether Ms. Berry sustained an injury arising primarily out of and in the course and scope of employment with CHS, thereby entitling her to additional medical benefits. For the reasons set forth below, the Court finds Ms. Berry failed to satisfy her burden to show she is likely to prevail at a 1 The Court labeled the documentation within the file as "exhibits" for ease of reference only. To be precise, because this matter came before the Court for a review-of-the-file determination, the Court only considered the admissibility of the short-term disability applications upon CHS's objection, as referenced infra.

1 hearing on the merits to establish a causal link between her injury and work. As such, the Court denies her requested relief.

History of Claim

Ms. Berry is a thirty-seven-year-old resident of Davidson County, Tennessee. She alleged a "repetitive motion" injury to her right wrist, forearm and elbow, listing the date of injury as January 12, 2015. See generally Ex. A. In a recorded statement she gave the carrier on January 14, 2015, she explained, "I've been experiencing pain and I can't give you a specific date. It's been about a month. The pain is getting worse and worse by the day." (Ex. 9 at 3.) The adjuster asked which job duties Ms. Berry believed were causing her condition, to which Ms. Berry replied, "I think it's the typing." !d.

CHS provided a panel, from which Ms. Berry chose Dr. Paul Abbey. Ex. 11. Over the course of six months of treatment, Dr. Abbey gave Ms. Berry the impression he believed the injury worked-related. Ms. Berry testified in a deposition, "[Dr. Abbey] told me and Kim, the nurse they assigned to my case, while we were sitting in there, she asked him, is this work-related and he said yes, I don't see any other thing it could be related to." (Ex. 15 at 37.) Dr. Abbey opined at her first visit on January 21, 2015, that, "I believe her condition is secondary to the relative repetitive nature of her work." Ex. I. Further, Ms. Berry applied for short-term disability benefits, and supplied forms Dr. Abbey and/or his staff completed, which contain check-the-box statements inquiring whether the injury is work-related. The "yes" boxes are checked on forms dated July 30, 2015, and August 4, 2015. Dr. Abbey purportedly signed both forms. See addenda to Ex. 14.

Dr. Abbey clarified his opinion in a deposition taken in December 2015. Ex. 14. Counsel for CHS asked, "Is it fair to state as we sit here today you cannot state within any reasonable degree of medical certainty that her condition is primarily related to her [work] activities?" Dr. Abbey replied, "That would be correct." ·!d. at 13. He additionally stated:

I am reluctant to say that, you know, work is a major contributory cause until I have other explanations. Even if we had all of those issues, I would still probably suggest that it's not- I could not conclusively say that it's related to her work. Now, is there a possibility that work has some component? Sure. But is it more likely than not? I would have a hard time with that at the present.

!d. at 15-16.

Dr. Abbey acknowledged at his deposition the applications for short-term disability benefits contain statements that Ms. Berry's condition arises out of

2 employment. !d. at 16-17. Ms. Berry's former counsel asked Dr. Abbey if he completed the forms, to which he responded, "[I]f I did-if it was done, it was done by the girls[.]" Ms. Berry's former counsel further inquired, "[D]id you fill that form out or did somebody in your office?" Dr. Abbey responded, "It definitely does not look like my writing, and it doesn't look like my nurse's writing. I am not sure that's not even Juwanna's [sic] writing. But I don't know that. It certainly isn't mine, though."

Ms. Berry saw Dr. Philip Coogan for a second opinion on March 17, 2015. Dr. Coogan's notes state in pertinent part, "I cannot say with a reasonable degree of certainty that she has sustained an on-the-job injury," and, "I think this is probably most appropriately pursued outside of the Workers' Compensation System." Ex. 3. Dr. Coogan further testified at his deposition:

I thought that it was not possible to say, with a reasonable degree of medical certainty, that she had sustained an on-the-job injury. I thought that other diagnoses were possible, thoracic outlet syndrome or some vascular problem, which I explained to her would be appropriately managed outside of the workers' compensation system.

(Ex. 16 at 9.) Both Drs. Abbey and Coogan testified they rendered their conclusions to a reasonable degree of medical certainty. (Ex. 14 at 13; Ex. 16 at 9.)

While Ms. Berry received authorized treatment, she additionally saw her primary care physician, Dr. Monica Davis. See generally Ex. 5. On January 8, 2015, just a few days prior to reporting the injury, Dr. Davis noted Ms. Berry's complaints of right wrist pain, observing, "Works at computer all day and has for years and uses her R hand to control the mouse." Dr. Davis wrote a letter dated August 6, 2015, stating:

I have seen [Ms. Berry] for her right thumb and wrist pain and feel she has a diagnosis of DeQuervain's tendonitis. She does not have any signs or symptoms of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and her exam in the office does not go along with diagnosis. She needs to follow up with an Orthopedic Specialist for her DeQuervain's tendonitis.

CHS filed a Notice of Controversy on August 3, 2015, terminating workers' compensation benefits. Ex. 13.

Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law

Admissibility ofDenial of Short-Term Disability Forms

Prior to addressing the central issue, the Court must consider the objections to the admissibility of evidence. CHS objected to the admissibility of a document denying Ms.

3 Berry short-term disability benefits. Ex. S. In particular, it questioned the relevance of the letter, asserting that, "the information relied on, and analysis utilized, by the short- term disability carrier does not have any bearing on any fact that pertains to whether this claim is compensable under the laws of workers' compensation." CHS additionally asserted Ms.

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Related

§ 50-6-102
Tennessee § 50-6-102(14)
§ 50-6-239
Tennessee § 50-6-239(c)(6)

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2016 TN WC 111, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/berry-juwana-v-community-health-services-tennworkcompcl-2016.