Paul V. Farmer, Inc. v. Labor and Industry Review Commission

CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
DecidedFebruary 4, 2025
Docket2023AP001981
StatusUnpublished

This text of Paul V. Farmer, Inc. v. Labor and Industry Review Commission (Paul V. Farmer, Inc. v. Labor and Industry Review Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Paul V. Farmer, Inc. v. Labor and Industry Review Commission, (Wis. Ct. App. 2025).

Opinion

COURT OF APPEALS DECISION NOTICE DATED AND FILED This opinion is subject to further editing. If published, the official version will appear in the bound volume of the Official Reports. February 4, 2025 A party may file with the Supreme Court a Samuel A. Christensen petition to review an adverse decision by the Clerk of Court of Appeals Court of Appeals. See WIS. STAT. § 808.10 and RULE 809.62.

Appeal No. 2023AP1981 Cir. Ct. No. 2023CV28

STATE OF WISCONSIN IN COURT OF APPEALS DISTRICT III

PAUL V. FARMER, INC. AND WESTERN NATIONAL MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY,

PLAINTIFFS-APPELLANTS,

V.

LABOR AND INDUSTRY REVIEW COMMISSION AND JAMES C. RIEDER,

DEFENDANTS-RESPONDENTS.

APPEAL from an order of the circuit court for Eau Claire County: EMILY M. LONG, Judge. Affirmed.

Before Stark, P.J., Hruz and Gill, JJ.

Per curiam opinions may not be cited in any court of this state as precedent

or authority, except for the limited purposes specified in WIS. STAT. RULE 809.23(3). No. 2023AP1981

¶1 PER CURIAM. Paul V. Farmer, Inc., and Western National Mutual Insurance Company1 (collectively, Farmer) appeal from the circuit court’s order affirming the decision of the Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission (LIRC), which granted James C. Rieder, Farmer’s former employee, worker’s compensation benefits. LIRC found that Rieder is totally and permanently disabled as a result of a work injury to his back. Farmer raises two issues on appeal: (1) LIRC erroneously concluded as a matter of law that Rieder was totally and permanently disabled; and (2) LIRC acted without authority or in excess of its powers by awarding Rieder worker’s compensation benefits because its finding of permanent and total disability is not supported by substantial and credible evidence. For the reasons that follow, we reject Farmer’s arguments and affirm.

BACKGROUND

¶2 Rieder worked as a crane operator for Farmer for approximately twenty-seven years prior to being injured in June 2019. His role with Farmer required him to use a crane to move and place large structures, such as modular homes, grain silos, air conditioning units, and tanks. Rieder was also tasked with placing a crane in the proper location at a job site as well as breaking it down when the job was complete.

¶3 On June 18, 2019, Rieder had finished a job, and he was breaking down a crane and loading the last “outrigger pad” back onto a truck when he turned and “something popped and [he] went down.” According to Rieder, he fell backward and hit his head, and he “just la[y] there seeing stars.” When Rieder got

1 Western National Mutual Insurance Company issued a worker’s compensation policy to Paul V. Farmer, Inc.

2 No. 2023AP1981

up, “it just hurt, like [he] thought [he] pulled something.” Rieder attempted to complete his responsibilities for the day, but by the time he arrived back at Farmer’s headquarters, he was unable to exit the truck of his own accord or move his left side. The pain was “bad” in his “lower back and … left leg,” and he needed the assistance of two coworkers to get out of the truck. Rieder was taken to the emergency room.

¶4 Thereafter, Rieder continued to suffer “jolts” from his low back down into his left leg and pain in his low back, both of which prevented him from returning to his position with Farmer. His injury also prevented him from working other more sedentary jobs, and Rieder’s medical provider ultimately recommended that he remain off of work permanently.

¶5 Rieder subsequently filed an application for worker’s compensation in September 2020, alleging a traumatic low back injury. An administrative law judge (ALJ) held a hearing on Rieder’s claim on September 13, 2021. The ALJ concluded that Rieder had “sustained a temporary lumbar strain or sprain with an end of healing without disability or need for further treatment by February 10, 2020,” and denied his claim.

¶6 Rieder sought LIRC review. LIRC reversed the ALJ’s decision. In its decision, LIRC credited Rieder’s testimony at the ALJ hearing as well as the medical opinion of Dr. Richard G. Yoon, a Mayo Clinic occupational medicine physician and one of Rieder’s doctors, in support of its finding that Rieder was “permanently and totally disabled.” In particular, LIRC observed that the ALJ did not credit Rieder’s testimony “because [the ALJ found that Rieder] engaged in other activities”—such as hunting, fishing, and traveling—“that [the ALJ] thought exceeded his physical restrictions,” but LIRC explained that “the evidence did not

3 No. 2023AP1981

demonstrate that [Rieder] exceeded his restrictions” with those activities. LIRC also noted its disagreement with the ALJ’s finding that Rieder’s conduct at the hearing—i.e., that he put his leg over a chair and was standing with his hands resting on the back of the chair—“was inconsistent with his restrictions.”

¶7 Farmer then sought judicial review of LIRC’s decision pursuant to WIS. STAT. § 102.23 (2021-22).2 The circuit court affirmed LIRC’s decision in an oral ruling, which was later memorialized in a written order. The court determined that LIRC’s decision was supported by substantial evidence in the record, and, given that fact, the court was bound by LIRC’s decision. Farmer appeals.

DISCUSSION

¶8 “On appeal, we review LIRC’s decision and not the circuit court’s.” Pick ‘n Save Roundy’s v. LIRC, 2010 WI App 130, ¶8, 329 Wis. 2d 674, 791 N.W.2d 216. LIRC’s decision must be affirmed unless it “acted without or in excess of its powers,” its decision “was procured by fraud,” or its findings of fact “do not support the order or award.” See WIS. STAT. § 102.23(1)(e). “The scope of [our] review of an order of LIRC is narrow; [we] may only confirm or set aside an order or award, [we] may not amend it or substitute [our] judgment for the commission’s.” See Beecher v. LIRC, 2004 WI 88, ¶20, 273 Wis. 2d 136, 682 N.W.2d 29.

2 All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2021-22 version unless otherwise noted.

4 No. 2023AP1981

I. De novo review

¶9 As a preliminary matter, as noted above, Farmer argues that LIRC’s determination that Rieder is permanently and totally disabled is a conclusion of law, and, therefore, we should review LIRC’s decision de novo. Farmer’s assertion is incorrect. It is well settled that LIRC’s “findings regarding the determination, cause, extent and duration of a disability are findings of fact, and are conclusive if supported by credible evidence.” See, e.g., Shelby Mut. Ins. Co. v. DILHR, 109 Wis. 2d 655, 659, 327 N.W.2d 178 (Ct. App. 1982). Thus, in this case, LIRC’s disability determination was a finding of fact.

¶10 Farmer also appears to contend, however, that LIRC’s determination that Rieder was permanently and totally disabled can only be supported if LIRC applied the “odd-lot” doctrine of permanent and total disability.3 See Balczewski v. DILHR, 76 Wis. 2d 487, 493, 251 N.W.2d 794 (1977). Odd-lot disability determinations are subject to de novo review. Cargill Feed Div. v. LIRC, 2010 WI App 115, ¶17, 329 Wis. 2d 206, 789 N.W.2d 326. According to Farmer, given LIRC’s finding “that Rieder has the light-duty permanent restrictions assigned by

3 “The odd-lot doctrine is a judge-made adjunct to the law of worker’s compensation…. In essence, the odd-lot doctrine provides that some injured workers should be characterized as permanently, totally disabled even though they are still capable of earning occasional income.” Beecher v. LIRC, 2004 WI 88, ¶2, 273 Wis. 2d 136, 682 N.W.2d 29.

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Paul V. Farmer, Inc. v. Labor and Industry Review Commission, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/paul-v-farmer-inc-v-labor-and-industry-review-commission-wisctapp-2025.