Seabaugh, Thomas v. Revel Logging

2015 TN WC 137
CourtTennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims
DecidedOctober 9, 2015
Docket2015-07-0121
StatusPublished

This text of 2015 TN WC 137 (Seabaugh, Thomas v. Revel Logging) 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
Seabaugh, Thomas v. Revel Logging, 2015 TN WC 137 (Tenn. Super. Ct. 2015).

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS AT JACKSON

Thomas Seabaugh, ) Docket No.: 2015-07-0121 Employee, ) v. ) ) State File No.: 74769-2014 ) Revel Logging, ) Employer, ) Judge Allen Phillips ) And ) ) Forestry Mutual Ins. Co., ) Insurance Carrier. ) ) )

EXPEDITED HEARING ORDER GRANTING MEDICAL BENEFITS

This matter came before the undersigned workers' compensation judge on the Request for Expedited Hearing filed by the employee, Thomas Seabaugh, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-239 (2014). The present focus of this case is Mr. Seabaugh's request for further medical evaluation of his alleged left-shoulder injury. The central legal issue is whether Revel has provided, to date, all medical benefits to which Mr. Seabaugh is entitled, or whether he is entitled to further evaluation of his left shoulder. For the reasons set forth below, the Court finds Mr. Seabaugh is entitled to further medical evaluation of his left shoulder by an orthopedic physician.

History of Claim

Mr. Seabaugh is a sixty-eight year-old resident of Henry County, Tennessee. He drove a log truck for Revel. On September 19, 2014, three log trucks travelling in the opposite direction approached his truck on a highway near Bardwell, Kentucky. The lead truck crossed over the centerline into his lane of travel. He stated that the freshly-paved roadway had no shoulder and the right side wheels of his truck dropped off the road causing him to lose control. The truck turned over onto its right side.

1 Following the accident, Mr. Seabaugh extricated himself from the vehicle. He described the pull of his seat belt as "cutting into" his left-shoulder area and bruising his chest. He was unsure as to whether his left shoulder struck any part of the interior of the cab. Likewise, he was unsure as to whether he specifically complained of his left shoulder at the Jackson Purchase Hospital emergency room, where he arrived by ambulance. He recalled complaining that the entirety of his left side "was hurting." The hospital records include complaints of neck pain and note evaluation of his neck, which included a CT scan. (Ex. 2.)

On September 25, 2014, Revel provided Mr. Seabaugh a panel of physicians that included Dr. John Brophy, a neurosurgeon; Drs. Stephen Waggoner and Kelly Pucek, orthopedic surgeons; and a chiropractor. Mr. Seabaugh chose Dr. Brophy.

Mr. Seabaugh first saw Dr. Brophy on October 22, 2014. Mr. Seabaugh completed an intake form, including a diagram to indicate the anatomic areas where he felt pain. He shaded the rear of the figure over the boulders, neck, left buttock and right knee. (Ex. 1 at 14.) 1 Dr. Brophy noted the chief complaints a headaches, neck and boulder pain and leg pain. (Ex. 1 at 9.) He diagnosed "neck pain associated with multilevel cervical spondylosis without definite clinical evidence of radiculopathy or myelopathy." (Ex. 1 at 11.) He recommended an MRI of the cervical spine. Id.

Mr. Seabaugh returned to Dr. Brophy on October 29, 2014, for review of the MRI. His "chief complaint [was] neck and upper medial trapezius pain." (Ex. 1 at 17.) The MRI revealed spondylosis at multiple levels of the cervical spine. (Ex. 1 at 18.) Dr. Brophy's diagnoses were unchanged. (Ex. 1 at 19.) Dr. Brophy recommended a work- conditioning program and released Mr. Seabaugh to light duty of no lifting over twenty pounds and no "commercial driving." Id.

Mr. Seabaugh completed the work-conditioning program and returned to Dr. Brophy with the same complaints of neck and trapezius pain on November 19, 2014. Dr. Brophy maintained the restrictions and opined Mr. Seabaugh would be released to full duty as of December 10,2014. (Ex. 1 at 31-32.) Dr. Brophy opined maximum medical improvement and no permanent disability as of December 10, 2014. (Ex. 1 at 33.)

Mr. Seabaugh returned to Dr. Brophy for authorized treatment on March 4, 2015. He reported his right-side pain was "much improved," but that there was no improvement in his left "trapezius and cervical paraspinal muscle pain." (Ex. 1 at 34.) Dr. Brophy maintained Mr. Seabaugh's full-duty status and again noted the diagnoses of cervical and

1 The medical records admitted into evidence bear Bates stamp numbers in the lower right comer of each page. However, the records are largely chronological in their entirety rather than chronologically arranged by provider. The Court will cite the records verbatim by the page numbers as they appear, but reminds the parties of Rule 0800- 02-21-.16(6)(c) regarding a table of contents identifying records by author and date.

2 trapezius muscle pain. (Ex. 1 at 36.)

Mr. Seabaugh returned to Dr. Brophy for a final visit on June 3, 2015. Dr. Brophy recorded that Mr. Seabaugh '"[ d]uring the three evaluations through this clinic . . . primarily complained of neck, trapezius and interscapular pain. He has not described radicular pain or headaches." (Ex. 1 at 199.) On that date, Mr. Seabaugh complained of neck and left-trapezius pain, left-shoulder pain and diffuse headaches. !d. Dr. Brophy noted diagnoses of cervical and trapezius-muscle pain, left-shoulder joint pain and headaches. He stated, under '"RECOMMENDATIONS," the following:

In my opinion, there is no indication for surgical intervention related to his cervical spondylosis. Since his accident was not associated with a loss of consciousness and he has not complained of headaches in the immediate injury period, I offered to set up further evaluation with a brain MRI through his personal insurance, which would also assess his tremor. We also discussed the option of further evaluation of his left shoulder through Orthopedics through his personal insurance.

(Ex. 1 at 200.)

Mr. Seabaugh testified he was unable to perform the duties of his truck driving job because he could neither '"throw" the straps that secure logs to the trailer up and over the loads, nor tum the crank that lowers the trailer's support wheels. He maintained his shoulder has hurt since the accident, and that he complained of it, and headaches, to Dr. Brophy from the beginning of treatment forward. He disputed Dr. Brophy's notations that he was engaging in strenuous yard work and stated that Dr. Brophy constantly discussed the institution of a walking program at home for all of his problems. Despite his release to full duty, Mr. Seabaugh does not believe he could perform his former job duties due to his current condition, particularly his shoulder pain. Revel terminated him because of the accident and refused to provide an orthopedic evaluation.

Mr. Seabaugh filed a Petition for Benefit Determination (PBD) seeking further medical evaluation by an orthopedic specialist. The parties did not resolve the disputed issue through mediation, and the Mediating Specialist filed a Dispute Certification Notice (DCN). Mr. Seabaugh filed a Request for Expedited Hearing, and this Court heard the matter on September 21, 2015.

At the Expedited Hearing, Mr. Seabaugh asserted he is entitled to further evaluation of his left shoulder by an orthopedic specialist and noted, '"it is interesting" that Dr. Brophy recommended an orthopedic evaluation in his last note, but advised that Mr. Seabaugh should seek such evaluation '"on his own." Revel countered that there is no evidence of any '"contact with the left shoulder in the accident," that it provided Mr. Seabaugh medical treatment through Dr. Brophy, and it is '"not sure what else a doctor

3 can do for this." It also noted Dr. Brophy made no specific referral to an orthopedic physician and argued that Mr. Seabaugh is "doctor shopping."

Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law

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Related

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Bluebook (online)
2015 TN WC 137, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/seabaugh-thomas-v-revel-logging-tennworkcompcl-2015.