Matter of Zielinske

959 P.2d 706, 1998 WL 251469
CourtWyoming Supreme Court
DecidedMay 20, 1998
Docket96-309
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 959 P.2d 706 (Matter of Zielinske) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wyoming Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Matter of Zielinske, 959 P.2d 706, 1998 WL 251469 (Wyo. 1998).

Opinion

959 P.2d 706 (1998)

In the MATTER OF the Worker's Compensation Claim of Carol ZIELINSKE, an Employee of Johnson County School District No. 1:
Carol ZIELINSKE, Appellant (Employee-claimant),
v.
JOHNSON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1,. Appellee (Employer-objector),
v.
STATE of Wyoming, ex rel., WYOMING WORKERS' COMPENSATION DIVISION, Appellee (Objector-Defendant).

No. 96-309.

Supreme Court of Wyoming.

May 20, 1998.

*707 Rene Botten of Northern Wyoming Law Associates, Sheridan, for Appellant.

Timothy J. Kirven of Kirven and Kirven, P.C., Buffalo, for Appellee Johnson County School District No. 1.

William U. Hill, Attorney General; John W. Renneisen, Deputy Attorney General; Gerald W. Laska, Senior Assistant Attorney General; and Bernard P. Haggerty, Assistant Attorney General, for Appellee State ex rel. Wyoming Workers' Compensation Division.

Before TAYLOR, C.J., and THOMAS, MACY, GOLDEN and LEHMAN, JJ.

TAYLOR, Chief Justice.

Appellant contests the hearing examiner's denial of worker's compensation benefits for occupational asthma. The hearing examiner found that appellant had not reported her claim within the statutory time period and failed to rebut the presumption that the claim be denied pursuant to Wyo. Stat. § 27-14-502 (Repl.1991). The hearing examiner also found that benefits were precluded because appellant had knowingly engaged in an injurious practice by continuing to smoke cigarettes against her doctor's recommendation. As the hearing examiner correctly applied the statutory mandates regarding appellant's belated report of her claim, we do not address the second basis for the hearing examiner's decision.

Affirmed.

I. ISSUES

Appellant, Carol Zielinske (Zielinske), states the following issues:

I. Whether Carol Zielinske complied with Wyo. Stat. § 27-14-502 in filing her claim.
II. Whether the Division or employer were prejudiced in their investigation or their ability to monitor medical treatment by * * * August 9, 1994, claimant's filing date.
III. Whether the Hearing Officer arbitrarily found that Carol Zielinske had engaged/persisted in the unsanitary or injurious practice of smoking against her doctor's orders as, in reality, no doctor had ordered Carol Zielinske to quit smoking and there was no medical evidence that Carol Zielinske's condition was affected by her smoking.

Appellee, Johnson County School District No. 1 (School District), identifies the following issues:

A. Did the Hearing Officer properly find that Appellant failed to comply with the W.S. § 27-14-502(a) requirement that a claimant file his/her report in the office of the clerk of court within 10 days after the injury became apparent?
B. Did the Hearing Officer properly find Appellant failed to rebut the presumption under W.S. § 27-14-502(c) that the claim should be denied?
C. Did the Hearing Officer properly find Appellant engaged in or persisted in an unsanitary or injurious practice which tended to imperil or retard her recovery?

Appellee, State ex rel. Wyoming Workers' Compensation Division (the Division), simply states the issue as:

A. Were the Hearing Examiner's findings and conclusions supported by substantial evidence and in accordance with law.

II. FACTS

Zielinske was hired as a custodian with the School District in June 1993 and assigned to work at the Meadowlark Elementary School and the administration office. Her duties required close contact with chemicals found in cleaning products used by the School District. Approximately one month after she began her job, Zielinske experienced sinus problems and headaches. Some time that summer, Zielinske approached her immediate supervisor, head custodian Dan Rhoades (Rhoades), and told him the floor wax stripper *708 smelled bad and was giving her headaches. Rhoades relayed this information to the school principal, Bob Tyser (Tyser). Tyser told Rhoades to monitor the situation and that he would check on procuring a respiratory mask.

The School District did not provide respiratory equipment. Neither did Zielinske register any further complaint until June 1994. In the meantime, Zielinske visited the Buffalo Medical Center in Buffalo, Wyoming on several occasions for sinus and respiratory problems. She was told her symptoms were likely caused by her presence in an elementary school environment where children often transmit germs.

Due to her continuing respiratory symptoms, Zielinske contacted the Billings Medical Clinic in Montana for further assessment of her condition. While making the appointment for her first visit, Zielinske talked with Dr. Schumann, who instructed her to bring "material safety data sheets" (MSDS sheets) which listed the chemical components of the cleaning products used in her job. Although Zielinske had not previously been aware of the MSDS sheets, upon inquiry she was directed to a book located in the custodian's room which contained the information. She then obtained further listings from the administration office.

Zielinske was examined by Dr. Schumann on June 7, 1994. Dr. Schumann's notes state: "Patient scheduled an appointment for evaluation because she feels that she is getting sick due to exposure to chemicals at work." During this visit, Dr. Schumann reviewed the MSDS sheets with Zielinske and concluded: "We'll first of all give her work restrictions indicating that she not work around waxes or wax strippers until we further investigate this." Dr. Schumann also "strongly recommended" Zielinske discontinue smoking and arranged an appointment for Zielinske with Dr. Merchant, a respiratory specialist.

Zielinske returned to work and provided Tyser with a work restriction sheet, signed by Dr. Schumann, stating she was not to work with any fresh wax or wax strippers. Tyser agreed to make sure she was not around the restricted substances until they knew more. He then instructed Rhoades to assign Zielinske only those duties which would comply with Dr. Schumann's recommendation. From that time on, the School District did not require Zielinske to come in contact with the offending chemicals.

On June 27, 1994, Zielinske was examined by Dr. Merchant. His notes from that visit state that the symptoms reported by Zielinske are "most suggestive of asthma," but that this preliminary diagnosis is "not confirmed." Dr. Merchant further noted: "It is likely the chemicals she is working with are acting as respiratory irritants and exacerbating her asthma. It is also very clear that her smoking is playing a significant role in this as well." Dr. Merchant then discussed the options from which the diagnosis of asthma could be confirmed. Zielinske chose to return to the workplace without restrictions to do "peak flow monitoring" which would give "specific information about exposures in the work place * * *." Zielinske was instructed to return in one month unless significant symptoms required earlier contact.

Zielinske testified that she informed both Tyser and Rhoades of her intention to re-expose herself to the formerly restricted cleaning products to verify the cause of her symptoms. Tyser and Rhoades, however, denied that Zielinske told them of the proposed testing. From June 29 through July 27, 1994, Zielinske monitored her breathing four times a day. During this time, Zielinske testified she continued to smoke and deliberately worked with fresh floor wax and wax strippers.

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959 P.2d 706, 1998 WL 251469, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/matter-of-zielinske-wyo-1998.