Scales, Elijah v. Michael Sherlock

2016 TN WC 18
CourtTennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims
DecidedJanuary 27, 2016
Docket2015-08-0002
StatusPublished

This text of 2016 TN WC 18 (Scales, Elijah v. Michael Sherlock) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Tennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Scales, Elijah v. Michael Sherlock, 2016 TN WC 18 (Tenn. Super. Ct. 2016).

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS AT MEMPHIS

Elijah Scales, ) Docket No.: 2015-08-0002 Employee, ) v. ) State File Number: 467-2015 Michael Sherlock, ) Employer. ) Judge Jim Umsted ) ) ) )

EXPEDITED HEARING ORDER GRANTING MEDICAL AND TEMPORARY DISABILITY BENEFITS

On January 13, 20 16, the Court held an Expedited Hearing on this claim filed by Elijah Scales, the employee, against Michael Sherlock, the employer. The issues are: (1) Mr. Scales' entitlement to medical benefits; and (2) his entitlement to temporary disability benefits. 1 The Court finds Mr. Scales established he is likely to prevail at a hearing on the merits and is, therefore, entitled to past and ongoing medical benefits as well as past temporary disability benefits.

History of Claim

Mr. Scales is a sixty-two-year-old resident of Shelby County, Tennessee. He worked for Mr. Sherlock as a manual laborer since 2011 at the business Mr. Sherlock owned with his father-in-law, Tommy Costello, located at Shelby Drive and Tchulahoma Road in Memphis, Tennessee. In this case, as described in more detail below, Mr. Scales claims he injured his neck and both wrists at work on September 20, 2014, when he fell from a ladder. Mr. Sherlock did not participate at the mediation stage of this claim and did not appear at the Expedited Hearing.

Mr. Scales testified he injured his neck and wrists at work, while painting the roof of a bam in Columbus, Indiana. According to Mr. Scales, he was working at the top of a 1 A complete listing of the technical record and exhibits admitted at the Expedited Hearing is attached to this Order as an appendix.

1 thirty-six-foot ladder when the coworker holding the ladder left. The ladder slipped out from under him, and he had to jump to the ground. Mr. Sherlock arrived at the scene shortly after the fall and drove Mr. Scales to the emergency room.

Soon after Mr. Scales arrived at the emergency room, his medical care provider transferred him to St. Vincent Jennings Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. He advised that he fell from a ladder and landed on his left wrist and neck. He received treatment for neck and left-wrist fractures and remained in the hospital until September 22, 2014. Upon discharge, Mr. Scales was restricted from bearing weight on his left wrist and was referred to Dr. James Creighton at Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center. Mr. Scales testified that he tried to return to work, but with his neck brace and fractured wrist, he could not perform the tasks Mr. Sherlock asked him to do.

Mr. Scales presented to Dr. Creighton on September 25, 2014. Dr. Creighton recommended performing left-wrist surgery. Mr. Scales underwent surgery on September 29, 2014. Dr. Creighton took Mr. Scales completely out of work after surgery and instructed him to return for a follow-up appointment on October 22, 2014. The medical records admitted into evidence suggest Mr. Scales returned to see Dr. Creighton on October 22, 2014, but the records do not include a narrative note discussing the specifics of his treatment. The October 22, 2014 report indicates Dr. Creighton did not keep Mr. Scales off work or place any restrictions on him.

Mr. Scales testified he returned to Tennessee a few weeks after his fall and sought treatment at the Church Health Center (Church Health) and Christ Community Health Services (Christ Community). He complained of right-wrist pain during his visit to Church Health on October 31, 2014, and his provider at Christ Community ordered a wrist x-ray on October 31, 2014. During his Christ Community appointment on November 26, 2014, he received a referral to an orthopedic specialist.

Mr. Scales stated Mr. Sherlock gave him $400.00 but did not provide a panel of physicians or pay any of his medical bills. Mr. Sherlock advised Mr. Scales that he did not have workers' compensation insurance and was not responsible for compensating him for his injury. Mr. Scales continues to have problems with his neck and wrists but cannot afford further treatment as he cannot work.

Mr. Scales filed a Petition for Benefit Determination on January 5, 2015, seeking medical and temporary disability benefits. The disputed issues could not be resolved through mediation as Mr. Sherlock failed to participate in the mediation process. Consequently, the Mediating Specialist filed a Dispute Certification Notice on May 21, 2015. The Court held an Expedited Hearing on January 13, 2016.

At the Expedited Hearing, Mr. Scales testified he has a fifth-grade education and performed physical labor all of his life. Mr. Scales estimated that he earned $600.00 to

2 $700.00 per week based on his daily rate of $120.00. He typically worked six days a week but would occasionally work seven days a week. Mr. 'scales testified he worked approximately 300 days in the year preceding his work injury of September 20, 2014. Mr. Sherlock paid Mr. Scales cash, and Mr. Scales never received any paperwork for filing taxes. According to Mr. Scales, Mr. Sherlock's business performed construction work, including painting, replacing shingles on houses, pressure washing, and repaving driveways. In addition to the owners of the business, Mr. Sherlock and Mr. Costello, Mr. Scales advised Mr. Sherlock had three laborers working for him at the time of Mr. Scales' injury.

Mr. Scales stated he cannot lift anything over thirty pounds and has not worked since his fall. However, he also admitted no doctor restricted him from working. Mr. Scales further noted he has developed asthma and blood pressure issues as a result of his work fall. He seeks past and ongoing medical benefits as well as temporary disability benefits. He introduced medical bills from St. Vincent Jennings Hospital ($6,442.50), Indiana Physician Management-Jennings ($680.40), Hand Surgery Associates ($3,859.00), Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center ($3,623.00), and Regional One Health ($275.37). Mr. Sherlock did not appear at the Expedited Hearing, despite receiving notice of the hearing via certified mail.

The Court must determine whether Mr. Scales is likely to prevail in proving he injured his neck and wrists at work, entitling him to workers' compensation benefits.

Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law

General Legal Principles

This Court must interpret the Workers' Compensation Law fairly, impartially, and without favor for either the employee or employer. Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-116 (2015). The employee in a workers' compensation claim must prove all essential elements of his claim. Tindall v. Waring Park Ass'n, 725 S.W.2d 935, 937 (Teno. 1987); 2 Scott v. Integrity Staffing So lutions, N o. 201 5-01-0055, 2015 TN Wrk. Comp. App. Bd. LEXIS 24, at *6 (Tenn. Workers' Comp. App. Bd. Aug. 18, 2015). However, an employee need not prove every element of his claim by a preponderance of the evidence in order to obtain relief at an expedited hearing. McCord v. Advantage Human Resourcing, No. 2014-06-0063, 2015 TN Wrk. Comp. App. Bd. LEXIS 6, at *7-8, 9 (Tenn. Workers' Comp. App. Bd. Mar. 27, 2015). At an expedited hearing, an employee

2 The Tennessee Workers' Compensation Appeals Board allows reliance on precedent from the Tennessee Supreme Court "unless it is evident that the Supreme Court's decision or rationale relied on a remedial interpretation of pre- July 1, 2014 statutes, that it relied on specific statutory language no longer contained in the Workers' Compensation Law, and/or that it relied on an analysis that has since been addressed by the general assembly through statutory amendments." McCord v. Advantage Human Resourcing, No. 2014-06-0063, 2015 TN Wrk. Comp.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Lon Cloyd v. Hartco Flooring Company
274 S.W.3d 638 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 2008)
Gray v. Cullom MacHine, Tool & Die, Inc.
152 S.W.3d 439 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 2004)
Orman v. Williams Sonoma, Inc.
803 S.W.2d 672 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1991)
Tindall v. Waring Park Ass'n
725 S.W.2d 935 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1987)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2016 TN WC 18, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/scales-elijah-v-michael-sherlock-tennworkcompcl-2016.