Sechrist v. State Ex Rel. Wyoming Workers' Safety & Compensation Division

2001 WY 45, 23 P.3d 1138, 2001 Wyo. LEXIS 56, 2001 WL 493208
CourtWyoming Supreme Court
DecidedMay 10, 2001
Docket00-172
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 2001 WY 45 (Sechrist v. State Ex Rel. Wyoming Workers' Safety & Compensation Division) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wyoming Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sechrist v. State Ex Rel. Wyoming Workers' Safety & Compensation Division, 2001 WY 45, 23 P.3d 1138, 2001 Wyo. LEXIS 56, 2001 WL 493208 (Wyo. 2001).

Opinion

GOLDEN, Justice.

[¶1] This appeal presents the sole issue of whether benefits should be denied to a claimant who proves that her depression is caused by a compensable physical injury as required by statute, but fails to have her diagnosing, licensed psychologist state aloud that the diagnosis is based upon the criteria of the most recent edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV) published by the American Psychiatric Association. We hold that statements in the psychologist's evaluation, which is an exhibit in the record, satisfy the statute. We reverse the district court's order affirming the denial of benefits and remand for entry of an order granting benefits.

ISSUES

[¶2] Appellant Cathy Sechrist presents this issue for our review:

1. Whether the Hearing Examiner erred in not affording the parties and their counsel an opportunity to address the ground upon which the case was decided.

Appellee Workers' Safety and Compensation Division (Division) restates the issues as:

1. Did the hearing examiner err in denying the appellant's claim for failure to es *1139 tablish every element of her claim by a preponderance of the evidence?
2. Did the hearing examiner err in denying the appellant's motion for reconsideration?

FACTS

[¶3] Cathy Sechrist sustained a compen-sable arm injury in the course of her employment on September 18, 1995. She was given a nine percent whole body impairment and received a permanent partial disability award. On October 6, 1998, the Division denied a claim for medical treatment of her abdomen and depression, stating that neither were related to the original work injury. Sechrist requested a contested case hearing. In its disclosure statement, the Division specified that it was contesting that the depression was related to the original work injury and that the "injuries do not meet the definition of 'injury' as set forth in W.S. § 27-14-102(a)(xi)." By deposition, Sechrist's treating general practitioner, Dr. Swedberg, eliminated any causation between other physical injuries and the 1995 physical injury, and the hearing examiner determined that the only issue left to be resolved was the causal relationship between her 1995 physical injury and her depression.

[¶4] Dr. Swedberg and Sechrist's licensed treating psychologist, Jacques Herter, Ph.D., both testified by deposition that each had diagnosed her with depression. Dr. Swedberg had treated her for it with antidepressants since November of 1995. Dr. Herter first saw Sechrist in May of 1996, for stress and anxiety related to chronic pain, and at that time, did not make a depression diagnosis. In 1997, Sechrist was evaluated by Dr. Herter to see if she qualified for Social Security disability based on psychological and physical problems. To perform a mental status evaluation, Dr. Herter administered two psychological tests, the Beck Depression and Hopelessness Inventory, and a mental status evaluation. Based on those tests, Dr. Herter diagnosed her with major depression and recommended that she be placed under psychiatric and psychotherapy care and antidepressants continued. When asked to explain what factors comprise the diagnosis of major depression, Dr. Herter detailed those factors and testified that Se-christ satisfied all of the requirements. The exhibits attached to Dr. Herter's deposition included the 1997 psychological evaluation performed for Social Security. That report's diagnostic impression identified the DSM-IV.

[¶5] The hearing examiner issued an order denying benefits. In the findings of fact for depression, the hearing examiner noted that Sechrist had the burden of proving her depression meets the definition of injury provided in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 27-14-102(a)(x1)(J) (Lexis 1999):

{(xi) "Injury" does not include:

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(J) Any mental injury unless it is caused by a compensable physical injury, it occurs subsequent to or simultaneously with, the physical injury and it is established by clear and convincing evidence, which shall include a diagnosis by a licensed psychiatrist or licensed clinical psychologist meeting criteria established in the most recent edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association. In no event shall benefits for a compensable mental injury be paid for more than six (6) months after an injured employee's physical injury has healed to the point that it is not reasonably expected to substantially improve.

The hearing examiner's findings of fact stated:

5. Dr. Swedberg testified in his deposition that depression magnifies the pain syndrome and was related to the initial injury. Exhibit 1, p. 13, line 16 and p. 20 lines 4 and 18.
6. Dr. Jacques P. Herter testified in his deposition that he diagnosed Sechrist with major depression which was caused by the persistence of pain in her elbow. Exhibit 2 p. 13 lines 9 and 20.
7. Dr. Herter performed psychological evaluations of Sechrist on May 19, 1996 and June 25, 1997. Dr. Herter indicated in the 1997 evaluation that Sechrist is currently experiencing Major Depression and a Pain Disorder. She has a high level of *1140 depression on the Beck Depression inventory. Exhibit 2 Deposition Exhibit 2. 8. Sechrist has established by a preponderance of the evidence that depression is caused by her compensable physical injury, however she has failed to provide evidence that the diagnosis made by licensed psychiatrist or licensed clinical psychologist meets the criteria established in the most recent edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association.

[¶6] Benefits were denied because the hearing examiner determined that Sechrist had not provided evidence that the diagnosis met the criteria of the manual for which the most recent edition is commonly referred to as the DSM-IV. Sechrist requested a reconsideration and offered proof that Dr. Herter's diagnosis did meet the criteria established in the most recent edition of the manual, but the hearing examiner denied the motion on grounds that the evidence did not constitute newly discovered evidence. The district court affirmed these denials, and this appeal followed.

DISCUSSION

Standard of Review

[¶7] Judicial review of agency action is governed by Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 16-3-114(c) (LEXIS 1999):

To the extent necessary to make a decision and when presented, the reviewing court shall decide all relevant questions of law, interpret constitutional and statutory provisions, and determine the meaning or applicability of the terms of an agency action. In making the following determinations, the court shall review the whole record or those parts of it cited by a party and due account shall be taken of the rule of prejudicial error. The reviewing court shall:
(ii) Hold unlawful and set aside agency action, findings and conclusions found to be:

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Bluebook (online)
2001 WY 45, 23 P.3d 1138, 2001 Wyo. LEXIS 56, 2001 WL 493208, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sechrist-v-state-ex-rel-wyoming-workers-safety-compensation-division-wyo-2001.