State Ex Rel. Deerfield Mfg., Inc. v. Taylor, 07ap-118 (5-8-2008)

2008 Ohio 2296
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 8, 2008
DocketNo. 07AP-118.
StatusPublished

This text of 2008 Ohio 2296 (State Ex Rel. Deerfield Mfg., Inc. v. Taylor, 07ap-118 (5-8-2008)) 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
State Ex Rel. Deerfield Mfg., Inc. v. Taylor, 07ap-118 (5-8-2008), 2008 Ohio 2296 (Ohio Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

DECISION
{¶ 1} Relator, Deerfield Manufacturing, Inc. ("relator"), commenced this original action requesting this court to issue a writ of mandamus ordering respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio ("commission") to vacate its award of permanent total disability *Page 2 ("PTD") compensation to respondent Anderson B. Taylor ("claimant") and to enter an order denying said compensation.

{¶ 2} Pursuant to Civ. R. 53 and Section (M), Loc. R. 12 of the Tenth Appellate District, this matter was referred to a magistrate who considered the action on its merits and issued a decision, including findings of fact and conclusions of law. (Attached as Appendix A.) The magistrate considered the following three issues: (1) whether the commission's reliance upon the July 20, 2006 vocational report of William T. Cody ("Cody") required the commission to deny claimant's application for PTD on grounds that advanced age is the sole cause or primary obstacle as a significant impediment to reemployment; (2) whether Cody's July 20, 2006 vocational report is internally inconsistent such that it cannot be relied upon by the commission; and (3) whether the commission abused its discretion by allegedly failing to analyze or explain the nonmedical factors.

{¶ 3} The magistrate reviewed the evidence and determined that the commission's reliance upon Cody's report did not require it to deny the PTD application and did not constitute an abuse of discretion. Next, the magistrate determined that Cody's vocational report was not internally inconsistent and therefore constituted some evidence upon which the commission could rely. Finally, the magistrate determined the commission did not abuse its discretion with respect to the nonmedical factors in not addressing claimant's rehabilitative efforts as the record contained evidence that cardiac problems and increased pain prevented vocational rehabilitation in 2005. Thus, the magistrate recommended the court deny relator's request for a writ of mandamus.

{¶ 4} No objections have been filed to the magistrate's decision. *Page 3

{¶ 5} We note that the commission stated its order was based, inter alia, on Cody's July 25, 2006 report, and did not specifically state that it relied on the July 20, 2006 report. However, all parties and the magistrate have treated the July 20, 2006 report as being part of the basis for the order, and analyzed it as such; therefore we too have treated it as such, for purposes of our independent review.

{¶ 6} Finding no error of law or other defect in the magistrate's decision, we adopt the magistrate's decision as our own, including the findings of fact and conclusions of law therein. In accordance with the magistrate's decision, the requested writ of mandamus is denied.

Writ of mandamus denied.

PETREE and TYACK, JJ., concur.

*Page 4

APPENDIX A
MAGISTRATE'S DECISION
Rendered on October 24, 2007
IN MANDAMUS
{¶ 7} In this original action, relator, Deerfield Manufacturing, Inc., requests a writ of mandamus ordering respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio ("commission") to *Page 5 vacate its award of permanent total disability ("PTD") compensation to respondent Anderson B. Taylor ("claimant") and to enter an order denying said compensation.

Findings of Fact:

{¶ 8} 1. Claimant has sustained two industrial injuries while employed as a "die setter" for relator, a state-fund employer.

{¶ 9} 2. The June 24, 2003 injury is allowed for "sprain of pelvis, right groin; aggravation of pre-existing arthritis of right hip; lumbosacral strain; aggravation of lumbar disc displacement at L4-5 and L5-S1; right sacroiliac joint strain; adjustment reaction-emotional/conduct," and is assigned claim number 03-380669. The earlier injury occurred on July 24, 2001. That injury is allowed for "open wound of head, nec," and is assigned claim number 01-413045.

{¶ 10} 3. On December 2, 2005, treating physician Janalee Krick Rissover, M.D., wrote:

I had the pleasure [of] seeing Anderson in the office today for his industrial injury. Anderson was seen in the office today for his chronic lumbar strain and disk herniation as well as depression. * * *

We spent some time today discussing his Workers' Comp case. Anderson already has Social Security Disability and there is no way at his age and his education level that he is ever going to be able to retrain. There is also no way he can go back to heavy labor given his poor FCE this past June. At this point, I very strongly feel the patient is permanently and totally disabled and that has already been acknowledged by Social Security. The next step is permanent total disability with Workers' Comp. Given his depression and his physical restrictions I think that is very reasonable.

{¶ 11} 4. On January 17, 2006, treating psychologist Charles M. Buhrman, Jr., Psy.D., wrote: "It is my opinion that Anderson Taylor is permanently and totally disabled, *Page 6 given the combination of his mental condition marked by depression, anxiety, agitation and anger secondary to his work-related injury, along with the physical impairment."

{¶ 12} 5. On January 30, 2006, claimant filed an application for PTD compensation. In support, claimant submitted the reports from Drs. Rissover and Buhrman.

{¶ 13} 6. On April 10, 2006, at relator's request, claimant was examined by Steven S. Wunder, M.D., who reported:

Mr. Taylor could not return to his former position of employment as he described it to me. His restrictions would place him in sedentary ranges. He has tested out in functional capacity testing in sedentary ranges on several occasions.

Considering only the allowed physical conditions, Mr. Taylor can engage in sustained remunerative employment.

Considering only the allowed physical conditions, Mr. Taylor has reached maximum medical improvement.

Treatment at this point in time would be considered maintenance. I think 4 office visits per year would be considered appropriate to monitor his situation.

{¶ 14} 7. On April 11, 2006, at the commission's request, claimant was examined by psychiatrist Donald L. Brown, M.D., who wrote:

In my opinion, Mr. Taylor has reached [maximum medical improvement] with respect to his previously allowed adjustment reaction-emotional / conduct and it can be considered permanent. Utilizing the Fifth Edition of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, I'd rate him as having a Class II level of impairment. This is a mild level of impairment.

Referencing the percentages, I'd rate his level of impairment at 20%.

*Page 7

{¶ 15} 8. On April 11, 2006, Dr. Brown completed an occupational activity assessment" form that is subcaptioned "Mental Behavioral Examination." On the form, Dr. Brown indicated by checkmark that "[t]his injured worker has no work limitations."

{¶ 16} 9.

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2008 Ohio 2296, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-deerfield-mfg-inc-v-taylor-07ap-118-5-8-2008-ohioctapp-2008.