Hinkle v. State

19 Ill. Ct. Cl. 59, 1949 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 23
Court of Claims of Illinois·Decided September 23, 1949·No. No. 4081·Published

Opinion

Delaney, J.

On January 7, 1947, the claimant, Henry D. Hinkle, an employee of the respondent in the Department of Public Works and Buildings, Division of Highways, was assigned to scatter cinders on icy hills and curves on State Aid Route No. 2. The work was done manually from a truck loaded with cinders. The truck was driven by Earl S. Fowler, a highway sectionman’s helper, and claimant shoveled cinders from the rear of the truck. While working two miles south of Alto Pass, in Union County, the truck skidded and claimant lost his balance, fell backward, and his lower back struck the top of the cab and signal lamp. He lay for several minutes because of pain, and then resumed his work. He worked until January 10, 1947, when his discomfort became so great that he was unable to continue.

On the day he was injured, claimant consulted his family physician, Dr. Ernest Radcliff, at Jonesboro, who prescribed rest, analgesics, anti-spasmodics, and heat. A week later, being dissatisfied with his progress, claimant consulted James C. Kincaid, a chiropractor at Anna, Illinois, who gave him thirty adjustments between January 15, 1947, and April 18, 1947.

On February 4, 1947, Dr. Radcliff reported to the respondent that the claimant’s injury consisted of a small bruise at the level of the fifth lumbar spine and down and outward toward the left iliac-sacral joint. The doctor considered the bruise inconsequential, and stated that the major injury consisted of a bad sprain of all the muscles attached to the area; he expected no permanent disability.

On March 8, 1948, Dr. Radcliff again reported to the respondent, stating that claimant could do light work, but that he was fearful claimant might have a lame back for many years. Thereupon respondent arranged for claimant’s examination and treatment by Dr. J. Albert Key and Dr. Fred Reynolds, orthopedic specialists, in St. Louis, Missouri. The first examination was made on March 25, 1947, and Dr. Reynolds reported to the respondent as follows: .

“Examination shows the patient to stand with a moderate stoop-shoulder. There is a good range of motion of the hack but the patient complains of pain in the low back on all motions. There is a mild discomfort in the back on straight leg raising. There is tenderness over the spinous processes of the lumbar vertebrae, most marked over the sacrum. There is also some tenderness over the left gluteal region.
“X-rays showed moderate arthritis with spur formation on the three lumbar vertebrae.
“It is our feeling that this patient was suffering from a mild disc and from aggravation of his arthritis. We recommended that he have a belt and hard bed and take Vitamin B and requested that he return in three weeks so that we might again examine him.”

On May 9, 1947, Dr. Reynolds again reported to the respondent as follows:

“We wish to advise that Henry Hinkle was seen again on the 5th day of May, at which time he had been unrelieved by his brace. However, on inspection of the brace it was noted that it did not fit. He was therefore instructed to return to Lehde and Brown so that he might be given a proper fitting brace. Furthermore, examination at this time revealed that the patient’s physical signs had become much more definite and that at this time he had very suggestive findings of a ruptured intervertebral disc at the lumbo-sacral junction.
“Should he fail to obtain relief with a satisfactory fitting belt, it may be necessary to consider removal of this disc.”

Again on July 2, 1947, Dr. Reynolds sent the following report to the respondent:

“Mr. Henry D. Hinkle was examined again on the 23rd of June, 1947, at which time he stated that his back was causing him more pain than, at the time of his last visit. The pain seems to run up his back and causes headaches. He is also complaining of pain which goes into the left leg to the ankle. These pains are such that he is unable to do any type of work.
“Examination at this time, although it varies somewhat from his previous examination, confirms in our opinion that this man probably has a rupture of an intervertebral disc.
“We recommend that he be admitted to the Barnes Hospital for study at which time a myelogram would be made of the spine and should this reveal that°he does have a disc, it should then be removed. These procedures would require the patient to be in the hospital from 10-14 days and should surgery be necessary, the cost of the operation would be $300.00.
“Will you please review this case at your early convenience and let us know whether or not you wish these recommendations carried out.”

Claimant was admitted to Barnes Hospital at St. Louis on December 11, 1947, and an examination there disclosed tenderness at the lumbo-sacral junction with limitation and pain on straight leg raising on the left side but with free motion of the spine without much pain. A myelogram revealed no defect in the spinal canal, and the spinal puncture for doing the myelogram gave the claimant almost immediate relief from pain.

Dr. Reynolds stated:

“This remarkable relief of pain from the spinal puncture together with other negative findings is very suggestive that Mr. Hinkle’s trouble is mostly imaginary.
“We are sending him at this time exercises and would suggest that he be put back to some kind of work at the earliest possible date.”

Following this report, Mr. Hinkle was offered work as a flagman, but he refused, saying the relief obtained from his hospitalization was of short durati.on and he was unable to work. Arrangements were then made for another examination by Dr. Reynolds, and on February 19, 1948, Dr. Reynolds sent the following report to the Division of Highways:

“We wish to advise that this patient was again- seen on 18th of February, 1948, at which time the patient stated that about two weeks from the time he went home from the hospital his pain returned. Because of this return of pain he has not been able to go back to work. The pain is now just the same as it was before he went to the hospital, being located in the low back mostly on the left side and running into the left hip. Since he was last seen there has been a new development in that the pain now runs up his back to the head and causes him .severe headaches with dizzy spells, and at times he is unable to get up because of these dizzy spells. He further states at this time that when trying to walk he drags his left leg.
“It was difficult to make a complete examination at this time because every time the patient would lie down he would grab his head and complain of severe pain and dizzy spells. I do not see that this could have any connection at all with the injury to his back, and from the examination I was able to make, I was unable to come to any conclusion.”

Following this report, the case was discussed by Dr. Reynolds and a representative of the Division of Highways. It was agreed that a psychiatric examination was indicated; accordingly arrangements were made for Dr. C. D. Nobles and Dr. D. T.

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Hinkle v. State, 19 Ill. Ct. Cl. 59, 1949 Ill. Ct. Cl. LEXIS 23 (Ill. Super. Ct. 1949).

19 Ill. Ct. Cl. 59 (Hinkle v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.