Cummings v. Indus. Commission, Unpublished Decision (3-31-2006)

2006 Ohio 1645
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 31, 2006
DocketNo. 05AP-553.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 2006 Ohio 1645 (Cummings v. Indus. Commission, Unpublished Decision (3-31-2006)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cummings v. Indus. Commission, Unpublished Decision (3-31-2006), 2006 Ohio 1645 (Ohio Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

DECISION
{¶ 1} Relator, Pamela Cummings, has filed this original action requesting that this court issue a writ of mandamus ordering respondent, Industrial Commission of Ohio ("commission"), to vacate its order denying her permanent total disability ("PTD") compensation, and to find that she is entitled to such compensation.

{¶ 2} This matter was referred to a court-appointed magistrate pursuant to Civ.R. 53(C) and Loc.R. 12(M) of the Tenth District Court of Appeals. The magistrate issued a decision, including findings of fact and conclusions of law, and recommended that this court deny relator's request for a writ of mandamus. (Attached as Appendix A.) Relator has filed objections to the magistrate's decision.

{¶ 3} Relator contends the magistrate erred in refusing to consider her argument that the commission's order violated Stateex rel. Noll v. Indus. Comm. (1991), 57 Ohio St.3d 203. Before the magistrate, relator contended that the commission abused its discretion in finding that she was able to perform the jobs of childcare worker, daycare supervisor, companion, and inventory worker because the Dictionary of Occupational Titles ("DOT") shows that these positions are not compatible with the commission's determination that she is limited to sedentary employment. The magistrate found relator was precluded from raising this issue in mandamus because she failed to administratively challenge, either through her own vocational expert or copies of the DOT, Dr. Howard Caston's report, in which he listed these and other jobs as being within her physical abilities. In her objections, relator asserts she did, in fact, raise the issue before the commission, but, regardless, the true issue is what the commission stated, not what Dr. Caston stated. Relator states that she does not need the DOT to prove that these positions are not sedentary.

{¶ 4} Relator's arguments are unavailing. Though she does cite to a portion of the hearing transcript that shows she generally raised this issue before the commission, she still cannot escape that she has no admissible evidence to demonstrate upon mandamus that the four positions cited by the commission do not fall within the sedentary range. She states in her objections that the jobs cited by the commission are "clearly" not sedentary in nature, but such statement is insufficient. Further, the issue relator raises does not seem to fall within the holding of Noll.Noll requires the commission to specifically state which evidence it relied upon to reach their conclusion and a brief explanation stating why the employee is or is not entitled to benefits. Here, we conclude the commission did so.

{¶ 5} After an examination of the magistrate's decision, an independent review of the evidence pursuant to Civ.R. 53, and due consideration of relator's objections, we overrule the objections and find that the magistrate sufficiently discussed and determined the issues raised. Accordingly, we adopt the magistrate's decision as our own, including the findings of fact and conclusions of law contained in it, and deny relator's request for a writ of mandamus.

Objections overruled; writ of mandamus denied.

Klatt, P.J., and McGrath, J., concur.

APPENDIX A
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO TENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
State of Ohio ex rel. Pamela Cummings, : Relator, : v. : No. 05AP-553 Industrial Commission of Ohio and : (REGULAR CALENDAR) Advics Manufacturing of Ohio, Inc., : Respondents. :

MAGISTRATE'S DECISION
Rendered on December 22, 2005
Robert A. Muehleisen, for relator.

Jim Petro, Attorney General, and Stephanie L. Van Meter, for respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio.

Dunlevey, Mahan Furry, and William H. Barney, III, for respondent Advics Manufacturing of Ohio, Inc.

IN MANDAMUS
{¶ 6} In this original action, relator, Pamela Cummings, requests a writ of mandamus ordering respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio ("commission") to vacate its order denying her permanent total disability ("PTD") compensation and to enter an order granting said compensation.

Findings of Fact:

{¶ 7} 1. On November 5, 1997, relator sustained an industrial injury while employed as an assembly line worker for respondent Advics Manufacturing of Ohio, Inc. ("employer"), a state-fund employer. The industrial claim is assigned claim number 97-574260 and is allowed for:

Bilateral sprain of hand nos; bilateral dermatitis nos; bilateral enthesopathy of wrist; bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome; left lateral epicondylitis; complex regional pain syndrome; left upper limb reflex sympathetic dystrophy; depressive disorder.

{¶ 8} 2. On March 2, 2004, relator filed an application for PTD compensation. In support, relator submitted a report dated December 30, 2002, from Elizabeth A. Doriott, D.O., who stated: "It is very reasonable to expect that she is 100% disabled from working in the future."

{¶ 9} 3. The PTD application form asks the applicant to provide information regarding the applicant's daily activities. In response, relator wrote:

I cannot drive very far because it is difficult to turn my head. I cannot make the bed or do washing anymore. I cannot lift more than 5 lbs. with my arms.

* * *

I dust if I had a good night. Some housecleaning for 45 minutes or so.

{¶ 10} 4. The PTD application form also asks the applicant to report information regarding work history. On the form, relator reported that she worked on an assembly line for a brake manufacturer from October 1997 to March 1998. She also indicated that she worked as a manager at an Arby's Restaurant from 1991 to 1997. She wrote: "Supervised up to six (6) employees, cleaned out fryer, kept track of drawers when shifts changed."

{¶ 11} 5. On May 6, 2004, at the employer's request, relator was examined by psychiatrist Michael E. Miller, M.D. Dr. Miller wrote:

Pamela Cummings is a 44-year-old woman who has experienced depression for a number of years. Medications appear to help sleep, irritability, ruminations, and moods. She currently receives psychotherapy to help deal with a number of issues.

I have been asked whether or not Ms. Cummings is permanently and totally disabled from all sustained remunerative employment as a result of a depressive disorder. I have concluded that she is not permanently and totally disabled due to depression. Though her depressive disorder is not in full remission, symptomatology tends to be chronic and mild. Ms. Cummings is capable of remembering work procedures, understanding instructions, carrying out sequential tasks, maintaining attention and concentration, and interacting appropriately with others. She is not judged to be incapable of performing activities of daily living. She is not judged to have significant impairments relative to intelligence, thinking, perception, judgement, affect or behavior, and needs only minor help relative to activities of daily living. Her rehabilitation potential would be described as good.

{¶ 12} 6. On May 7, 2004, at the employer's request, relator was examined by David C. Randolph, M.D.

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Related

State ex rel. Noll v. Industrial Commission
567 N.E.2d 245 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1991)
State ex rel. Quarto Mining Co. v. Foreman
679 N.E.2d 706 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1997)

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Bluebook (online)
2006 Ohio 1645, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cummings-v-indus-commission-unpublished-decision-3-31-2006-ohioctapp-2006.