Ginter v. Goudchaux's, Inc.

417 So. 2d 879, 1982 La. App. LEXIS 7709
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 29, 1982
DocketNo. 14981
StatusPublished

This text of 417 So. 2d 879 (Ginter v. Goudchaux's, Inc.) 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
Ginter v. Goudchaux's, Inc., 417 So. 2d 879, 1982 La. App. LEXIS 7709 (La. Ct. App. 1982).

Opinion

CARTER, Judge.

Plaintiff-appellant, Shirley R. Ginter, appeals the decision of the trial court in favor of defendants-appellees, Goudchaux’s, Inc. and Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, holding that her recovery in this workers’ compensation suit was limited to the “scheduled loss” provided in LSA-R.S. 23:1221, with judgment in her favor being limited to her claim for unpaid medical benefits, amounting to the sum of $718.45.

Mrs. Ginter contests the denial of her basic claim that she is totally and permanently disabled, or her alternative claim of at least permanent partial disability.

In denying appellant’s claims, the trial judge in his written reasons for judgment [880]*880has fully and correctly answered the complaints the appellant made in this appeal. We have examined the entire record and conclude that the trial judge correctly decided the case and applied the applicable law to the facts presented. For the reasons expressed by the trial judge, which we adopt as our own, we affirm the judgment appealed.

As shown by his opinion, the trial judge discussed disability, and he correctly held that, if Mrs. Ginter was disabled, her disability was limited to the “scheduled loss” represented by the 35% disability to the foot assigned by Dr. Ray J. Haddad, Jr., the orthopedic surgeon who performed the surgical procedures on Mrs. Ginter. Plaintiff contends that this holding was in error and seeks to have this Court find her totally and permanently disabled, or at least permanently partially disabled. However, the record does not reveal that Mrs. Ginter produced sufficient evidence to carry her burden of proving any such disability. The cases of Hamilton v. Georgia Pacific Corp., 344 So.2d 400 (La.App. 1 Cir. 1977); and Robertson v. Valhi, Inc., 345 So.2d 149 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1977), hold that a workers’ compensation claimant must prove the existence and extent of his disability to a legal certainty by a reasonable preponderance of the evidence. In addition, the Hamilton and Robertson cases note that, on the determination of disability, great weight is to be given to the trial court’s factual findings. In the present case, the trial court had before it the reports of all of the physicians who had examined or treated Mrs. Ginter, the deposition of Dr. Haddad, and the testimony of Mrs. Ginter. Based upon the lower court’s decision, it was not persuaded of Mrs. Ginter’s complaints of pain and disability.

Furthermore, the reports from the physicians and Dr. Haddad’s deposition do not support her claims. The reports from Dr. J. B. Sullivan and Dr. Donald Ames (her physicians in Florida), show numerous visits with the absence of any objective findings, and also show that Mrs. Ginter followed a sometimes contradictory pattern of therapy and recovery. At times she failed or refused to wear the shoes and innersoles prescribed for her, and wore instead shoes which the doctors felt were “bad” for her. In addition, while complaining of “constant pain”, she stated that she could engage in such athletic activity as playing several holes of golf before she had pain. We find that the evidence relevant to the issue of disability shows no disability beyond the 35% loss of use of function assigned by Dr. Haddad.

As the trial court noted, compensation in excess of the amount due for a 35% disability to the foot had already been paid by the defendants. The amount due for that disability was computed in accordance with the formula set forth in Anderson v. Continental Can Company, 141 So.2d 48 (La.App. 2 Cir. 1962), cert. denied June 20, 1962; Bearb v. Boutte, 295 So.2d 533 (La.App. 3 Cir. 1974), writ refused, 299 So.2d 797 (La.1974), and came to $3,750.00. Compensation already paid totaled $6,871.00. The Anderson and Bearb cases, supra, also indicate that defendants are entitled to a dollar-for-dollar credit for all prior payments; hence, no further compensation is due to Mrs. Ginter.

As a further argument, Mrs. Ginter contends that she should be found to be disabled under the “odd-lot” doctrine, as set forth in Oster v. Wetzel Printing, Inc., 390 So.2d 1318 (La.1980). She contends that her pain makes her unable to return to work as a saleslady, and that defendants thus had the burden of proving that there was other work available to her.

The record does not establish that her “pain” was such as to disable her. Moreover, in order for the “odd-lot” doctrine to be applicable, it was necessary that she prove more than the mere existence of some pain; the plaintiff was required to prove that her physical condition, mental capacity, education, training, and age, or other factors placed her at a substantial disadvantage in the competitive labor mar[881]*881ket. Lattin v. HIGA Corporation, 395 So.2d 690 (La.1981); Augustine v. Courtney Construction Company of Alexandria, Inc., 405 So.2d 579 (La.App. 3 Cir. 1981). No such evidence was offered by her to show that she was entitled to application of the “odd-lot” doctrine, thus the burden of proof was not shifted to the defendants to show that some form of gainful occupation was regularly and continuously available to her within reasonable proximity to her residence.

For the reasons assigned by the trial judge in his written reasons for judgment, a copy of which is attached hereto, marked “Appendix” and made part hereof, the judgment of the trial court is affirmed, at the appellant’s costs.

AFFIRMED.

APPENDIX

Shirley Ginter (plaintiff), while working at Goudchaux’s Department Store, slipped and caught her left foot in a door jam on or about May 3, 1977. She was initially seen by Dr. Charles S. Kennon, an orthopedic surgeon, with complaints of pain in the first, second and third metatarsal heads of her left foot. His reports (P-2), which were introduced in evidence, indicate that he treated her conservatively but after obtaining no significant relief felt she probably had a Morton neuroma between the second and third metatarsal heads, and in July of 1979, surgery was performed and the neuroma excised. Further complications ensued, and in September of 1977, Dr. Martin Bell, a plastic surgeon, operated and freshened the wound. Plaintiff then moved to Florida and was treated by Dr. J. B. Sullivan, an orthopedic surgeon in Fort Pearce, Florida. He began treating her on October 3, 1977, and saw plaintiff on several occasions through March 21, 1978. As the court appreciates Dr. Sullivan’s reports (D-3) introduced into evidence, plaintiff presented multiple complaints; however, he was never able to find any objective orthopedic pathology.

On April 17, 1978, plaintiff was seen by Dr. Ray J. Haddad, Jr., an orthopedic surgeon in New Orleans, and a member of the teaching faculty of the Tulane Medical School. Plaintiff was referred to Dr. Had-dad by Dr. Kennon for evaluation. Dr. Haddad was of the opinion that the type injury plaintiff sustained in her fall could result in a neuroma. He felt she still had a problem with a neuroma on the plantar surface of her left foot. He attempted conservative measures with an innersole but then her complaints worsened. In September of 1978, in view of plaintiff’s continued complaints, he performed surgery after telling plaintiff that he estimated no better than a 50-50 chance of improvement. He found an additional neuroma between the second and third metatarsal heads which was entwined by a great deal of scar tissue, all of which he excised. Her initial post-operative course was good and she returned home to Florida a few days later.

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Related

Hamilton v. Georgia Pac. Corp.
344 So. 2d 400 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1977)
Lattin v. Hica Corp.
395 So. 2d 690 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1981)
Augustine v. COURTNEY CONST. CO., ETC.
405 So. 2d 579 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1981)
Anderson v. Continental Can Company
141 So. 2d 48 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1962)
Oster v. Wetzel Printing, Inc.
390 So. 2d 1318 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1980)
Bearb v. Boutte
295 So. 2d 533 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1974)
Bearb v. Boutte
299 So. 2d 797 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1974)
Robertson v. Valhi, Inc.
345 So. 2d 149 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1977)

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417 So. 2d 879, 1982 La. App. LEXIS 7709, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ginter-v-goudchauxs-inc-lactapp-1982.