Omnova Solutions, Inc. v. Lipa

44 So. 3d 1000, 2009 Miss. App. LEXIS 132, 2009 WL 596662
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedMarch 10, 2009
DocketNo. 2008-WC-00500-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 44 So. 3d 1000 (Omnova Solutions, Inc. v. Lipa) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Omnova Solutions, Inc. v. Lipa, 44 So. 3d 1000, 2009 Miss. App. LEXIS 132, 2009 WL 596662 (Mich. Ct. App. 2009).

Opinion

LEE, P.J.,

for the Court.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶ 1. Theresa Lipa filed a workers’ compensation claim after sustaining a work-related back injury during her employment with Omnova Solutions, Inc. A hearing was held before an administrative law judge (ALJ) who found that Lipa sustained a loss of wage-earning capacity as a result of her back injury and awarded her permanent disability benefits in the amount of $30.02 per week for 450 weeks. The award was based on the difference between the wages Lipa earned before her injury and the wages she earned for the job in which she was placed five months after returning to work at Omnova. The order entered by the ALJ also stated that Lipa was to be awarded a ten percent penalty and interest award for each installment not timely paid. Finally, Omnova was ordered to provide Lipa with all reasonable and necessary medical services and supplies that she requires due to her injury.

¶ 2. Omnova appealed the decision of the ALJ to the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission (Commission). The Commission affirmed the decision of the ALJ. Omnova then appealed the order of the Commission to the Circuit Court of Lowdnes County. The circuit court affirmed the decision of the Commission.

¶ 3. Omnova now appeals, asserting the following issues: (1) the Commission erred in ruling that Lipa sustained a loss of wage-earning capacity; (2) the Commission erred in considering the testimony of Doug Pugh because his identity was not adequately disclosed before the hearing; and (3) the Commission erred in awarding Lipa penalties and interest. Finding no error, we affirm the judgment of the circuit court, which affirmed the decision of the Commission.

FACTS

¶ 4. At the time of the hearing, Lipa was forty-nine years old and had worked for Omnova for approximately eighteen years. She sustained a work-related injury on July 20, 2000, when a forklift hit her while she was performing her job as a let-off operator. She reached maximum medical improvement on July 8, 2002, after nearly two years of medical treatment. She was released to return to work on June 20, 2002, by her treating physician, Dr. Robert Smith. Dr. Smith limited Lipa to light-duty work for six months and released her to return to full-duty work after six months. She was assigned a ten percent permanent medical impairment rating to her body as a whole. Dr. Smith stated that Lipa would be permanently restricted in her lifting, standing, and bending.

¶ 5. Lipa testified that upon being released to light-duty work, she returned to her job as let-off operator. She remained at her pre-injury wage. Lipa complained of back problems to her supervisor and the company nurse, and she required help from a co-worker to perform her job. She remained in this position for approximately five months before being “bumped” by another employee with greater seniority. Lipa was transferred to a factory-trucker (forklift driver) position. The position does not require any lifting. She works more overtime than with her previous position, but the factory trucker job pays less than the let-off operator job.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 6. The standard for appellate review of workers’ compensation claims is limited. It is well settled that “[t]he Commission is the ultimate fact-finder.” Hardin’s Bakeries v. Harrell, 566 So.2d 1261, 1264 (Miss.1990). Our review is limited to a “determination of whether or not the decision of the [1003]*1003[Cjommission is supported by the substantial evidence.” McCarty Farms, Inc. v. Banks, 773 So.2d 380, 386(¶23) (Miss.Ct.App.2000) (quoting Delta CMI v. Speck, 586 So.2d 768, 772-73 (Miss.1991)). “This Court will overturn a Commission decision only for an error of law or an unsupportable finding of fact.” Cook v. President Casino, 740 So.2d 963, 966(¶ 16) (Miss.Ct.App.1999) (citation omitted). “As to matters of law, our review is de novo, but the interpretation of the Commission of the Workers Compensation Law is to be accorded great weight and deference.” KLLM, Inc. v. Fowler, 589 So.2d 670, 675 (Miss.1991).

DISCUSSION

I. DID LIPA SUSTAIN A LOSS OF WAGE-EARNING CAPACITY?

¶ 7. Omnova concedes that Lipa was injured on the job and experienced a post-injury wage reduction. However, Omnova contends that Lipa’s wage reduction was not a result of her work-related injury. Omnova argues that Lipa lost her pre-injury job at her pre-injury wage for reasons not related to her work-related injury; therefore, she is not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

¶ 8. Omnova presented the testimony of Sam Cox, a vocational rehabilitation expert, in support of its position. Cox testified that Lipa did not sustain a loss of wage-earning capacity as a result of her work-related injury. Cox testified that his opinion was based on the fact that Lipa returned to her pre-injury position and pre-injury wages upon returning to work at Omnova, and that the lifting restriction only prohibited her from working in heavy to very heavy lifting categories. Cox also noted that Lipa possessed above-average education and training and remained highly employable.

¶ 9. Omnova contends that Lipa’s decrease in pay is a result of her own inac-tions because opportunities for higher paying jobs within the company have become available during the three years Lipa worked as a factory trucker, but Lipa has failed to apply for them. Kathy Brown, Omnova’s corporate representative, testified that at least two positions became available during the time Lipa worked as a factory trucker for which no employees with greater seniority applied, and Lipa could have bid on these jobs.

¶ 10. Lipa claims that the loss of her position was the result of the terms of a bargaining agreement, or union contract, between Omnova and its employees. Lipa testified that she was aware some positions were available. However, she would not bid on the position if a more senior employee had already bid, as the positions were filled based on seniority. She also did not bid if the position was outside her job restrictions. Lipa testified that she was not aware of any positions for which she was qualified that became available.

¶ 11. Doug Pugh, an employee of Om-nova for thirty-six years and the local union president, testified at the hearing on behalf of Lipa to explain the terms of the union contract. He testified that employees with restrictions were covered by the union agreement. He testified that the agreement stated that if an employee cannot find a job within her restrictions, the employee can be placed at the bottom of the seniority list for an open position, but the employee cannot bump anyone with more seniority. He explained that when Lipa was bumped by another employee, she was placed in a temporary position. When the factory-trucker position became available, Lipa was automatically placed in that position and had no choice but to take it. He testified that she was lucky a position within her restrictions was available.

[1004]*1004¶ 12. Omnova next asserts that the fact that Lipa returned to her pre-injury job at her pre-injury wage proved that she was not permanently disabled. When a claimant’s post-injury earnings are equal to or exceed pre-injury earnings, there is a presumption of no loss of wage-earning capacity. Univ. of Miss. Med. Ctr. v. Smith, 909 So.2d 1209, 1218(¶32) (Miss.Ct.App.2005). However, the presumption may be rebutted as follows:

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44 So. 3d 1000, 2009 Miss. App. LEXIS 132, 2009 WL 596662, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/omnova-solutions-inc-v-lipa-missctapp-2009.