Burton v. Industrial Com'n of Arizona

801 P.2d 473, 166 Ariz. 238, 67 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 28, 1990 Ariz. App. LEXIS 266
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedAugust 14, 1990
Docket1 CA-SA 90-032
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 801 P.2d 473 (Burton v. Industrial Com'n of Arizona) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Burton v. Industrial Com'n of Arizona, 801 P.2d 473, 166 Ariz. 238, 67 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 28, 1990 Ariz. App. LEXIS 266 (Ark. Ct. App. 1990).

Opinions

OPINION

SHELLEY, Judge.

Warren Burton (petitioner) had an industrial injury to his right thumb and wrist on February 20, 1980, while working for Bechtel Power Company (Bechtel). Bechtel was covered by a workmen’s compensation policy issued by Industrial Indemnity (Industrial). Bechtel and Industrial will collectively be referred to as respondents.

Burton’s claim was accepted for benefits and eventually closed at one time with a scheduled injury with a 75% impairment of the upper extremity.

In 1984, petitioner succeeded in re-opening his claim because his condition had worsened and he had problems in his shoulders and cervical area which needed active treatment. The claim remains open at the present time. Petitioner now claims that he is entitled to medical benefits for treatment of an osteoarthritic cervical condition. Industrial asserts that the osteoarthritic condition is unrelated to the industrial injury-

On June 5, 1986, Administrative Law Judge Bayles entered an order providing that petitioner would be permitted to have a tape recorder with him during a medical examination scheduled June 9, 1986. Between June of 1986 and October of 1989, the petitioner used his tape recorder at every medical examination set by Industrial. There is no indication in the record before us that the four 'physicians who examined petitioner prior to October, 1989, were interfered with or obstructed by the petitioner as the result of his use of the tape recorder during the examinations.

During October, 1989, Industrial noticed another independent medical examination to be performed by Dr. Gerald Moczynski, an orthopedic specialist, to be conducted November 10, 1989. Respondents filed a motion for protective order with Administrative Law Judge William E. Smith requesting that petitioner be prevented from tape recording that examination. On January 19, 1990, Judge Smith ruled that petitioner “is not entitled to the presence/use of a tape recorder” during Dr. Moczynski’s examination. Petitioner asserts that Judge Smith’s order constituted an abuse of discretion. He further asserts he has no equally plain, speedy, and adequate remedy by appeal. We have previously entered an order accepting jurisdiction with this decision to follow.

Respondents assert that any issues petitioner may wish to raise with respect to the Industrial Commission proceedings held to determine his right to additional benefits can be promptly and thoroughly addressed by him after the Industrial Commission issues an award. We disagree. If petitioner has to submit to the medical examination without the use of a tape recorder, the issue will become moot. If he fails to submit himself for the medical examination as a result of the order, he would be subject to sanctions. In the case of Phelps Dodge Corp. v. Sup.Ct. of Cochise County, 7 Ariz.App. 277, 438 P.2d 424 (1968), this court held that:

[Ajppeal is not an adequate remedy for denial of discovery because a litigant has a right to:
‘... the means of obtaining in advance of the trial information concerning the issues and the means of producing at the trial the evidence necessary to sustain his action or defense.’ [240]*240McClatchy, [Newspapers v. Superior Court of Sacramento County, 26 Cal.2d 386] 159 P.2d [944] at 948-949 [(1945)].

Id. at 280, 438 P.2d at 427. See also Pedro v. Glenn, 8 Ariz.App. 332, 446 P.2d 31 (1968). Judge Smith’s order was certainly a discovery order. A tape recording of what was said by the petitioner and the doctor during the examination would constitute admissible evidence at any Industrial Commission hearing. We hold that petitioner does not have an adequate remedy after an award has been issued. Thus, this court properly accepted jurisdiction.

A.R.S. § 23-1026 provides for an independent medical examination. Subsection (A) states:

An employee who may be entitled to compensation ... shall submit himself for medical examination from time to time at a place reasonably convenient for the employee, if and when requested by the commission, the state compensation fund, his employer or the insurance carrier.

Subsection (B) provides that an employee:

[M]ay have a physician present at the examination if procured and paid for by himself.

Subsection (C) reads:

If the employee refuses to submit to the medical examination or obstructs the examination, his right to compensation shall be suspended until the examination has been made, and no compensation shall be payable during or for such period.

Respondents assert:

Because the statute specifies that the applicant may have a physician present, this court should presume that the legislature meant what it said and, in attempting to ascertain the legislative intent, this court should apply the principal [sic] of expressio unius est exclusio alterius. This principal [sic] of construction provides that the inclusion of one or more specific items in a statute implies a legislative intent to exclude those others [sic] items not specifically included. See Southwestern Iron and Steel Industries, Inc. v. State of Arizona, 123 Ariz. 78, 597 P.2d 981 (1979). Thus, because the legislature has provided that an applicant such as Mr. Burton may have a physician present if he so wishes, the simplest answer to petitioner’s request for relief is that the legislature did not intend that tape recorders or other devices be taken to independent medical examinations.

We disagree. In Southwestern Iron, our supreme court stated:

The principle of expressio unius est exclusio alterius as used in statutory and administrative rule construction means that the expression of one or more items of a class and the exclusion of other items of the same class implies the legislative intent to exclude those items not so included.

Id. at 79, 597 P.2d at 982 (emphasis added). A tape recorder is not in the “same class” as a person. Under the principle of expressio unius est exclusio alterius, the statute precludes the presence of all persons except for a physician of a claimant’s choosing. It cannot be read to exclude an unobtrusive tape recorder.

In Pedro, the issue involved an order granting a medical examination “under the condition her counsel or a court reporter be present in an unobtrusive manner.” The court stated:

In connection with the hearing on the entry of the order, the attorneys for Perkins insisted that a court reporter, or that one of the attorneys, be present during the examination. They urged that this is a matter of right and that such presence is necessary to protect Perkins from improper questions.

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

Related

Neri v. Phx union/az School
Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2017
Kwietkauski v. Industrial Commission
291 P.3d 365 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2012)
Freelance Interpreting Services, Inc. v. State
133 P.3d 1163 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2006)
Martens v. Industrial Com'n of Arizona
121 P.3d 186 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2005)
Burton v. Industrial Com'n of Arizona
801 P.2d 473 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
801 P.2d 473, 166 Ariz. 238, 67 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 28, 1990 Ariz. App. LEXIS 266, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/burton-v-industrial-comn-of-arizona-arizctapp-1990.