Jerasi v. Shoney's Inc.

475 So. 2d 11, 1985 La. App. LEXIS 9551
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 9, 1985
DocketNo. CA-3424
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 475 So. 2d 11 (Jerasi v. Shoney'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
Jerasi v. Shoney's Inc., 475 So. 2d 11, 1985 La. App. LEXIS 9551 (La. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

BARRY, Judge.

An employer appeals a compensation award for temporary total disability claiming the evidence is insufficient.

In April, 1982, while working as a waitress for defendant, Shoney’s Inc., plaintiff tripped and fell over a co-employee, injuring her knees and back. She reported the incident to her supervisor, but did not seek medical attention for fear she would lose her job. Apparently plaintiff injured her back in job-related accidents in June, 1981 and December, 1981 and was afraid of being terminated if she went to a doctor again. She worked in pain until July 19, 1982 when she was fired for a “bad attitude.”

Plaintiff filed suit on August 2, 1982 and first saw a doctor on August 10, 1982. Dr. Gessner, an orthopedic surgeon, diagnosed a strain or contusion to the lumbar spine and a contusion to the knees. He prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and a mild pain reliever. Although Dr. Gessner advised plaintiff that she should not work as a waitress, plaintiff informed him that her financial situation forced her to do so. Plaintiff obtained a job as a waitress at Cafe Royale and continued to work full time. She saw Dr. Gessner intermittently over the next several months and he prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and pain relievers.

In November, 1982 Dr. Gessner noted plaintiff's condition did not improve. He recommended hospitalization for a full diagnostic work-up. Plaintiff was unable to secure the necessary funds until July, 1983 when she checked into Chalmette General. She underwent a series of tests including a bone and lumbar CT scan, lumbar myelo-gram and discogram, and right knee arth-rogram. All tests were normal.

[13]*13Plaintiff was discharged on August 20, 1983 and last saw Dr. Gessner on September 6, 1983 at which time he was of the opinion plaintiff had a soft tissue injury to the lumbar spine and a contusion to the right knee. He advised her to restrict activities and to return on an “as needed” basis.

No compensation benefits or medical expenses were paid. Plaintiff testified she still has back pain and works in substantial pain. The only medical testimony was from Dr. Gessner who opined that as long as plaintiff continues to work as a waitress she will aggravate her back.

The trial judge found plaintiff temporarily totally disabled and awarded her 66 ⅝% of $145.37 from July 19, 1982 until such time as she is free of disability.

Defendant initially argues plaintiff failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that she was involved in an accident which resulted in disability.

Factual findings of the trial court in compensation cases, particularly those which involve the credibility of witnesses, are entitled to great weight, and will not be disturbed unless clearly wrong. Martin v. Orleans Parish School Board, 427 So.2d 83 (La.App. 4th Cir.1983).

Plaintiffs evidence was uncontra-dicted and we have no basis to conclude the trial court was clearly wrong. However, we do find the evidence insufficient to maintain an award for temporary total disability under La.R.S. 23:1221(1).

At the time of plaintiff’s accident1 La. R.S. 23:1221(1) provided:

For injury producing temporary total disability of an employee to engage in any gainful occupation for wages whether or not the same or a similar occupation as that in which the employee was customarily engaged when injured and whether or not an occupation for which the employee, at the time of injury, was particularly fitted by reason of education, training, and experience, ....

By contrast, La.R.S. 23:1221(3) defined partial disability in the following terms:

For injury producing partial disability of the employee to perform the duties in which he was customarily engaged when injured or duties of the same or similar character, nature, or description for which he was fitted by education, training, and experience, sixty-six and two-thirds per centum of the difference between the wages the employee was earning at the time of the injury and any lesser wages which the injured employee actually earns in any week thereafter in any gainful occupation for wages, whether or not the same or a similar occupation as that in which the employee was customarily engaged when injured and whether or not an occupation for which the employee, at the time of injury, was particularly fitted by reason of education, training, and experience, during the period of disability, ....

Dr. Gessner’s testimony clearly specifies that plaintiff is capable of engaging in some “gainful occupation.” He testified plaintiff should not continue to work as a waitress, however, he opined that “a job that she would not be called upon to participate in any type of strenuous activity would be certainly more beneficial to her in her recovery.” He said she might work in a more sedentary environment where she could change positions at intervals and avoid kneeling, bending, or squatting without considerable discomfort.

Plaintiff claimed that working as a waitress caused substantial pain. She did not say or imply that she was unable to perform other light duties without pain or that she attempted to do so.

Therefore, the evidence does not support a finding that plaintiff could not engage in [14]*14“any gainful occupation” under La.R.S. 23:1221(1). Accordingly, we hold plaintiff was partially disabled because the injury rendered her unable to perform the duties in which she was customarily engaged when injured or duties of the same or similar character, nature, or description for which she was fitted by education, training and experience. La.R.S. 23:1221(3). Fazande v. New Orleans Public Service, Inc., 430 So.2d 225 (La.App. 4th Cir.1983); Dufrene v. St. Charles Parish Police Jury, 371 So.2d 378 (La.App. 4th Cir.1979).

As to the penalties and attorney’s fees, whether an employer’s refusal to pay compensation is arbitrary, capricious and without probable cause is a question of fact. Newell v. New Orleans Public Service, Inc., 402 So.2d 246 (La.App. 4th Cir. 1981).

In his reasons for judgment, the trial judge stated:

Although Shoney’s may not formerly [sic] have been put on notice as to petitioner’s disability resulting from accidents at work in September, 1981, and April, 1982 prior to the time they were served with a law suit filed by petitioner on August 2, 1982, it is clear that they were put on notice that there was a workmen’s compensation claim being made against them once they were served with the law suit.
Defendant’s answer to the law suit was filed on August 17, 1982, along with Interrogatory Questions. Petitioner responded to these Interrogatory Questions on September 8, 1982 in which she detailed what injuries she had and who her treating physician was. It appears that Shoney’s obtained no medical reports or made an attempt to depose petitioner’s treating physician until one year later, August 23, 1983, at which time they were clearly informed that according to the treating physician, Leona Jera-si, should definitely not be working in light of her medical condition and that work as a waitress was significantly impeding the healing process of petitioner’s injuries.

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Related

Duplechain v. Offshore Shipyard, Inc.
481 So. 2d 176 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1985)
Jerasi v. Shoney's, Inc.
478 So. 2d 906 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1985)

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Bluebook (online)
475 So. 2d 11, 1985 La. App. LEXIS 9551, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jerasi-v-shoneys-inc-lactapp-1985.