Bolton v. Grant Parish School Board

709 So. 2d 979, 97 La.App. 3 Cir. 1161, 1998 La. App. LEXIS 394, 1998 WL 100341
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 6, 1998
DocketNo. 97-1161
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 709 So. 2d 979 (Bolton v. Grant Parish School Board) 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.

Bluebook
Bolton v. Grant Parish School Board, 709 So. 2d 979, 97 La.App. 3 Cir. 1161, 1998 La. App. LEXIS 394, 1998 WL 100341 (La. Ct. App. 1998).

Opinion

I LAUNDERS, Judge.

This appeal arises out of a claim for workers’ compensation benefits filed on behalf on plaintiff-appellant, Sandra Bolton. The workers’ compensation judge denied appellant’s claim for benefits, finding that she was able to engage in part-time work and that she had refused to accept a position made available to her. For the following reasons, we reverse and render.

FACTS

Claimant, Sandra Bolton, was employed as a cafeteria worker at Dry Prong Junior High School in Dry Prong, Louisiana, by the defendant, Grant Parish School Board. She had been employed with the defendant since August of 1989. In the ^course and scope of her employment, on or about October 29, 1991, Ms. Bolton was involved in a accident when she slipped and fell in the cafeteria kitchen, hitting a steel table with her back and striking her head on the floor. The accident was timely reported, and defendant accepted and commenced payment of Ms. Bolton’s Temporary Total Disability benefits (TTD).

During the pendency of the claim, Ms. Bolton sought treatment from Dr. Stewart Phillips, a New Orleans orthopedic surgeon. Ms. Bolton was also examined by Dr. Clifton Shepherd at the request of Grant Parish School Board. Due to a dispute between the medical records and reports of Dr. Phillips and Dr. Shepherd, the Office of Workers’ Compensation appointed Dr. John T. Weiss to perform an independent orthopedic medical examination pursuant to La.R.S. 23:1123.

In June of 1995, Mark Goldich of Crawford and Company, the adjuster handling Ms. Bolton’s claim, sent a job description of a position as an office receptionist to each of the three physicians. This job description clearly stated that the position offered consisted of a three-hour work day. Each physician approved the job description. Ms. Bolton did attempt to return to work at the Grant Parish School Board Office in Colfax, Louisiana, on July 10, 1995. However, she was informed that she was expected to work four hours per day instead of three. Ms. Bolton was only able to work two hours each day on July 10th and 11th due to the pain in her back. After the second day of work, Ms. Bolton concluded that her condition had not improved enough for her to handle the modified position.

When Ms. Bolton attempted the work as a part-time receptionist, her weekly workers’ compensation benefits were terminated. Defendant made no attempt to determine the difference in weekly income between the part-time job and the amount ftthat she was [981]*981receiving before her injury. Ms. Bolton has been completely "without income or workers’ compensation benefits since July 10, 1995.

On July 20,1995, Ms. Bolton again saw Dr. Phillips, her treating physician, who recommended psychological treatment. Claimant was sent to Dr. James Quillin, a neuropsy-chologist, who, after performing psychological testing, determined that claimant was suffering from depression and also concluded that her subjective pain severity ratings did not appear to be exaggerated.

After receiving claimant’s psychological evaluation, Dr. Phillips opined that Ms. Bolton was a candidate for surgery. Claimant’s request for approval of the surgery was refused by the defendant, and this matter proceeded to trial before the Office of Workers’ Compensation.

The workers’ compensation judge found that Ms. Bolton was able to engage in restricted work activity as of July, 1995, and that she was not entitled to Supplemental Earnings Benefits (SEB) since she refused her employer’s offer of a light-duty position. He further found that the defendant was not liable for further psychological treatment and that the defendant was not arbitrary or capricious in its termination and payment of indemnity or medical benefits.

From this adverse ruling, claimant raises three issues on appeal. Ms. Bolton alleges that the workers’ compensation judge erred in relying upon the opinion of a physician hired for litigation purposes only, rather that relying on the opinions of her treating physician. She further claims that the defendant was arbitrary and capricious in terminating her weekly workers’ compensation benefits as well as in its refusal to provide vocational rehabilitation benefits.

LAW AND ARGUMENT

Physicians’ Opinions:

14Appellant contends that the workers’ compensation judge did not sufficiently consider the opinion of Dr. Phillips, her treating physician, who is the only doctor who had the benefit of examining claimant on numerous occasions. Dr. Shepherd, the physician chosen by defendant, opined in late 1993 that claimant should be released from medical treatment and could return to regular activities. Since this opinion conflicted with the findings of Dr. Phillips, it was within the workers’ compensation judge’s discretion to appoint an independent physician, Dr. Weiss, pursuant to La.R.S. 23:1123. Claimant does not dispute the fact that each of the three physicians concluded that Ms. Bolton was capable of returning to light-duty part-time work in June of 1995.

However, the workers’ compensation judge overlooked or ignored the fact that the position approved for Ms. Bolton by the doctors consisted of only a three-hour work day. After the defendant’s adjuster obtained approval of the three hour per day job, the actual position provided Ms. Bolton was for four hours per day, 33% longer than the job approved by the three physicians. We find this difference to be quite significant, especially considering the nature of claimant’s injury, as well as her continuous complaints of pain. The workers’ compensation judge’s failure to consider this discrepancy amounted to manifest error.

At trial, the defendant introduced into evidence three copies of the job description which were signed (signifying approval) by Dr. Weiss, Dr. Phillips, and Dr. Shepherd. The workers’ compensation judge obviously gave this evidence considerable weight in concluding that Ms. Bolton had not shown by clear and convincing evidence that she was unable to perform the modified position. However, since the job description did not coincide with the actual position provided, we find that her temporary total disability benefits were improperly terminated. As such, Ms. IgBolton is entitled to reinstatement of her weekly benefits, as well as a credit for all unpaid benefits.

Arbitrary and Capricious Termination of Benefits:

In her next assignment of error, claimant contends that the defendant arbitrarily and capriciously terminated her workers’ compensation benefits on July 10, 1995, the date she attempted to return to part-time work. We agree. Although the defendant wrongfully terminated Ms. Bolton’s TTD [982]*982benefits, this alone did not amount to arbitrary and capricious behavior. However, even assuming that the defendant would have been proper in terminating TTD benefits, there was no basis for terminating all benefits.

Under the guidelines of La.R.S. 23:1221(3), a claimant who is unable to earn wages equal to or greater than ninety percent of her pre-injury wages should receive SEB equal to 66 and 2/3 percent of the difference of what she is earning monthly at the present time, and what she earned monthly prior to her injury. When an employer arbitrarily fails to provide such benefits, Louisiana law provides:

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Related

Gaspard v. Dollar General Corp.
842 So. 2d 458 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2003)
Bolton v. Grant Parish School Bd.
730 So. 2d 882 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1999)

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Bluebook (online)
709 So. 2d 979, 97 La.App. 3 Cir. 1161, 1998 La. App. LEXIS 394, 1998 WL 100341, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bolton-v-grant-parish-school-board-lactapp-1998.