Oxendine v. Lincoln County Board of Education

CourtNorth Carolina Industrial Commission
DecidedAugust 22, 1997
DocketI.C. No. 437362
StatusPublished

This text of Oxendine v. Lincoln County Board of Education (Oxendine v. Lincoln County Board of Education) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Carolina Industrial Commission primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Oxendine v. Lincoln County Board of Education, (N.C. Super. Ct. 1997).

Opinion

The undersigned have reviewed the prior Opinion and Award based upon the record of the proceedings before Deputy Commissioner Hoag and the briefs and oral arguments before the Full Commission. The appealing party has not shown good ground to reconsider the evidence, receive further evidence, rehear the parties or their representatives, or amend the Opinion and Award, except for modifications of the average weekly wage and some other minor revisions.

Since the hearing before the Deputy Commissioner, plaintiff has recovered $102,000.00 in a settlement of a lawsuit filed against the third-party tortfeasor in the subject automobile accident. Defendant has moved the Commission for a credit in the amount of the recovery from the third-party tortfeasor, pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. 97-10.2. In the Order Disbursing Settlement Proceeds dated June 26, 1996, Lincoln County Superior Court Judge Jesse B. Caldwell, III, ordered that "the employer/workers (sic) compensation insurance carrier, Lincoln County Schools and State Board of Education shall recover nothing towards any subrogation claim under N.C.G.S. 97-10.2." Defendant failed to appeal the decision of Judge Caldwell to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Therefore, defendant's motion for a credit in the amount of the third-party recovery is hereby DENIED.

* * * * * * * * * *

The Full Commission finds as fact and concludes as matters of law the following, which were entered into by the parties at the hearing as:

STIPULATIONS

1. The parties are subject to and bound by the provisions of the North Carolina Workers' Compensation Act.

2. An employer-employee relationship existed between plaintiff and defendant-employer at all relevant times.

3. The defendant is self-insured.

4. During the 52 weeks preceding June 3, 1992, plaintiff earned the sum of $21,933.69 while in the employ of the defendant pursuant to the Form 22 completed by the employer on October 5, 1994, which was admitted into evidence at the hearing of this matter.

5. The date of the alleged injury which is the subject of this claim in this case is June 3, 1992.

6. The parties stipulated to the admissibility of the following medical records of plaintiff for the purposes of the hearing:

a. Lincoln County Hospital notes, dated 6-3-92.

b. Sterling Emergency Physician's bill, dated 6-3-92.

c. Presbyterian Hospital notes, dated 6-3-92 through 6-12-92.

d. Mecklenburg Radiology notes, dated 6-3-92 through 6-9-92.

e. Dr. Robin Joan Hennessy notes, dated 6-3-92 through 8-5-93.

f. Randolph Internal Medicine notes, dated 6-4-92 through 6-6-92.

g. Presbyterian Orthopaedics notes, dated 6-4-92 through 8-3-92.

h. Char Meck Ambulance notes, dated 6-12-92.

i. Lincoln County Home Health Agency notes, dated 6-18-92 through 4-21-93.

j. Duke University Clinic notes, dated 8-16-93 through 3-8-94.

k. Blue Ridge Radiology notes, dated 6-3-92.

l. Department of Prosthetics and Orthotics notes, dated 8-30-93.

m. Prescription drug receipts, dated 6-12-92 through 9-16-92.

7. The issues to be determined are:

a. Did plaintiff sustain an injury arising out of and in the course and scope of her employment with the Lincoln County Board of Education?

b. To what amounts of temporary total and temporary partial disability and disfigurement benefits is plaintiff entitled?

c. Is defendant owed a credit due to plaintiff's receipt of benefits from the Disability Income Plan of North Carolina?

* * * * * * * * * * *

The Full Commission adopts the findings of fact found by the Deputy Commissioner as follows:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Plaintiff was thirty years old at the time of the hearing before the Deputy Commissioner, married, with two children aged six and eight. Plaintiff was educated at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Sacred Heart College, and Belmont Abbey. Plaintiff was an education major and has taught kindergarten on a contract basis at elementary schools. Prior to being employed by the Lincoln County Board of Education, she taught for four years. Plaintiff had contracted to teach with Lincoln County Board of Education during the regular school year of 1992 and also for summer school.

2. On Wednesday, June 3, 1992, at or near the end of the school year, plaintiff was employed as a kindergarten teacher at Asbury Elementary School in Lincoln County. On that day, plaintiff had planned a program for her students in the auditorium to be followed immediately by a school picnic on the school grounds.

3. In the early afternoon of that day, plaintiff, in accordance with school procedure, went to the principal's office to speak with Gerald Schrum, the principal, to notify him that she wanted to leave the school grounds, a routine requirement of all employees to assure that students were supervised at all times. As Mr. Schrum was not in his office, plaintiff spoke with the school secretary, Ms. Carolyn Dysart. Plaintiff asked permission from Ms. Dysart to go to the bank, which was granted. When Mr. Schrum returned, Ms. Dysart informed him of plaintiff's absence.

4. The after school picnic plaintiff planned for her class and the volunteers who had assisted her with the students during the school year was predominantly organized by plaintiff with the assistance of some parents. Plaintiff had purchased supplies for the party which she had placed in her vehicle. During the day of June 3, 1992, plaintiff realized she needed an extra present for one of the volunteers as well as additional cups, spoons and other materials for the party.

5. Plaintiff contacted her relative Monique Seronce to procure the desired items for her. However, plaintiff realized that she had insufficient funds in the bank to cover a purchase of the desired items. Thus plaintiff withdrew her request for Monique to run the errands for her as the bank would not permit Ms. Seronce to withdraw money from plaintiff's savings account.

6. After obtaining permission from Ms. Dysart, plaintiff left to obtain the supplies. She intended first to stop by the bank and then continue on to a Wal-Mart located two or three miles from the school. Upon further thought, plaintiff decided she would avoid going to the bank since her checkbook was in the car, and instead "float" a check to cover payment for the items. She proceeded directly to the Wal-Mart.

7. On route to the Wal-Mart, while driving in a northerly direction on Huss Street at 1:55 p.m., plaintiff was struck by a vehicle driven by Stacy Pitsikoulis. Pitsikoulis ran through a stop sign and into the lane of plaintiff's travel, causing a collision and resulting in serious and permanent injuries to plaintiff.

8. At the time of the accident, plaintiff's car contained three or four bread racks on which were located bags of bread and other miscellaneous supplies for the planned children's party. In addition, a list was found by plaintiff's uncle in the car the next day, indicating the materials plaintiff intended to buy for the party while she was at Wal-Mart. The list was in plaintiff's handwriting.

9. Plaintiff was initially taken to Lincoln County Hospital for treatment and was then transferred to Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte. She remained hospitalized from June 3, 1992 to June 12, 1992.

10. Plaintiff suffered bi-malleolar ankle fractures, a metatarsal fracture and a degloving injury to her forehead and scalp.

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Bluebook (online)
Oxendine v. Lincoln County Board of Education, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/oxendine-v-lincoln-county-board-of-education-ncworkcompcom-1997.