Shipley v. Ludowici-Celadon, Unpublished Decision (12-26-2006)

2006 Ohio 6893
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 26, 2006
DocketNo. 05AP-1172.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 2006 Ohio 6893 (Shipley v. Ludowici-Celadon, Unpublished Decision (12-26-2006)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Shipley v. Ludowici-Celadon, Unpublished Decision (12-26-2006), 2006 Ohio 6893 (Ohio Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

DECISION
IN MANDAMUS ON OBJECTIONS TO THE MAGISTRATE'S DECISION
{¶ 1} Relator, Steve Shipley, has filed an original action requesting a writ of mandamus ordering respondent, Industrial Commission of Ohio ("commission"), to vacate its order denying him temporary total disability ("TTD") compensation from August 12, 2004, through March 3, 2005, and to enter an order granting said compensation.

{¶ 2} This matter was referred to a magistrate of this court, pursuant to Civ. R. 53(C) and Loc. R. 12(M) of the Tenth District Court of Appeals. The magistrate issued a decision, including findings of fact and conclusions of law, recommending that this court issue a writ of mandamus ordering the commission to vacate the order of its staff hearing officer ("SHO") dated August 19, 2005, and to enter a new order in compliance with the Ohio Supreme Court's decision in State ex rel.Noll v. Indus. Comm. (1991), 57 Ohio St.3d 203. (Attached as Appendix A.)

{¶ 3} The commission has filed objections to the magistrate's decision, asserting that the magistrate erred by finding that its SHO did not comply with the requirements of Noll, supra. The commission contends that the magistrate erred by reasoning that an MRI finding constituted "new and changed circumstances."

{¶ 4} The report of the district hearing officer ("DHO"), dated July 22, 2005, states that the DHO had reviewed two reports of Dr. Mark Fleming, dated August 10, 2004, and September 10, 2004, respectively. The SHO, in a report dated August 19, 2005, similarly cited both reports. Those reports, as noted by the magistrate, indicated that an MRI revealed a "worsening anterospondylolisthesis of L5 on S1," and Dr. Fleming opined that the MRI was consistent with relator's "complaints and problem," and that he must undergo a "fusion revision." The magistrate noted that both the DHO and SHO cited the reports of Dr. Fleming. However, given the information in Dr. Fleming's reports, indicating that relator's condition had worsened, the magistrate found that the matter should be sent back to the commission for an explanation as to how the evidence relied upon would support the conclusion there was no change. Upon review of the stipulated record, including evidence that surgery was apparently approved due to worsening conditions, we find no error with the magistrate's determination that here, where the evidence cited by the commission suggests a different result than the conclusion announced by the commission, the commission's reasoning is critical. Therefore, failure to provide an adequate explanation constitutes an abuse of discretion under Noll.

{¶ 5} Accordingly, based upon an independent review, we conclude that the magistrate has properly determined the facts and the appropriate law. Therefore, the commission's objections are overruled, and this court adopts the magistrate's decision as our own, including the findings of fact and conclusions of law. In accordance with the magistrate's recommendation, a writ of mandamus is granted to the extent the commission is ordered to vacate its SHO's order of August 19, 2005, and to enter a new order in compliance with Noll, supra, either granting or denying relator's motion for TTD compensation.

Objections overruled; writ of mandamus granted.

SADLER and FRENCH, JJ., concur.

APPENDIX A
MAGISTRATE'S DECISION
IN MANDAMUS
{¶ 6} In this original action, relator, Steve Shipley, requests a writ of mandamus ordering respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio ("commission") to vacate its order denying him temporary total disability ("TTD") compensation from August 12, 2004 through March 3, 2005, and to enter an order granting said compensation.

Findings of Fact:

{¶ 7} 1. On March 13, 1987, relator sustained an industrial injury while employed with respondent Lodowici-Celadon, a state fund employer. The industrial claim is allowed for: "Acute low back strain; spondylolisthesis; lumbar spinal stenosis; pseudoarthrosis L4-5, L5-S1; pseudoarthrosis; major depressive disorder single episode," and is assigned claim No. 87-19811.

{¶ 8} 2. Relator began receiving TTD compensation from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation ("bureau").

{¶ 9} 3. On May 29, 2003, at the bureau's request, relator was examined by Robert J. Thompson, M.D. for the allowed physical conditions of the claim. Dr. Thompson reported:

Has the injured worker reached MMI?

Yes — For the following reasons:

1. It has been 16 years since the original injury.

2. He has had the benefit of extensive treatment including 3 surgical procedures, multiple epidural injections, radio-frequency lesioning of multiple medial branches, and other treatment.

3. Mr. Shipley, himself, reports that his symptoms have basically stabilized and are not getting any better or worse as time goes on.

Can the injured worker return to his former position of employment?

No — for the following reasons:

1. Mr. Shipley's previous job required repetitive bending, lifting and standing. I do not think that he will ever be able to do this type of work in the future.

Are there any restrictions or modifications?

Yes:

1. He would be unable to do any work that required him to sit for more than an hour at a time without being able to get up and move around.

2. He would be unable to stand or walk for more than 20 minutes at a time without resting.

3.He would be unable to ever do any repetitive lifting or bending.

Are there any additional treatment modalities recommended?

No:

1. There is no additional treatment that would provide any significant functional improvement.

2. He may need ongoing symptomatic treatment for his pain including medications.

{¶ 10} 4. Following an August 19, 2003 hearing, a district hearing officer ("DHO") issued an order terminating TTD compensation effective August 19, 2003. The DHO found that the allowed conditions of the claim, both physical and psychological, had reached maximum medical improvement ("MMI"). Dr. Thompson's report was exclusively relied upon to support the determination that the allowed physical conditions had reached MMI. The DHO's termination of TTD compensation was administratively affirmed.

{¶ 11} 5. On July 6, 2004, relator's treating physician, Ronald P. Linehan, M.D. wrote:

Steven Shipley returns to the PainCare Center after receiving right L4 and L5 transforaminal epidural steroid injections. He feels that these were of minimal benefit in reducing his radicular symptoms and continues to complain of localized right sided low back pain consistent with sacroiliitis. We discussed various treatment options and he wished to withhold treatment until he undergoes evaluation with Dr. Fleming to determine if he is a candidate for surgical correction.

He was discharged in satisfactory condition and is scheduled to return on a p.r.n. basis for re-evaluation and possible repeat right L4 and L5 transforaminal epidural steroid injections verses consideration of repeat right sacroiliac joint injections.

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Bluebook (online)
2006 Ohio 6893, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/shipley-v-ludowici-celadon-unpublished-decision-12-26-2006-ohioctapp-2006.