State Ex Rel. Poole v. Oh Indus. Comm., Unpublished Decision (3-1-2005)

2005 Ohio 850
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 1, 2005
DocketNo. 04AP-424.
StatusUnpublished

This text of 2005 Ohio 850 (State Ex Rel. Poole v. Oh Indus. Comm., Unpublished Decision (3-1-2005)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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. Poole v. Oh Indus. Comm., Unpublished Decision (3-1-2005), 2005 Ohio 850 (Ohio Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

DECISION
{¶ 1} Relator, Pablo Poole, Jr., has filed this original action in mandamus requesting this court to issue a writ of mandamus ordering respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio to vacate its order denying his application for permanent total disability compensation and to enter a new order granting said compensation. In the alternative, relator requests that this court issue a writ that orders the commission to vacate its order denying his application for wage loss compensation pursuant to R.C. 4123.56(A), and to enter a new order granting said compensation.

{¶ 2} Pursuant to Civ.R. 53(C) and Loc.R. 12(M) of the Tenth District Court of Appeals, this case was referred to a magistrate of this court who issued a decision, including findings of fact and conclusions of law. In his decision (attached as Appendix A), the magistrate concluded that relator failed to demonstrate that the commission had abused its discretion and that this court should deny the requested writ. No objections have been filed to the decision of the magistrate.

{¶ 3} Finding no error or other defect on the face of the decision of the magistrate, pursuant to Civ.R. 53(C), we adopt that decision as our own, including the findings of fact and conclusions of law contained in it. In accordance with that decision, we deny the requested writ.

Writ of mandamus denied.

Brown, P.J., and Klatt, J., concur.

APPENDIX A
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO TENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
State of Ohio ex rel. Pablo Poole, Jr.,   :
              Relator,                    :
v.                                        :     No. 04AP-424
The Industrial Commission of Ohio         :  (REGULAR CALENDAR)
and City of Cleveland,                    :
              Respondents.                :
MAGISTRATE'S DECISION
Rendered on November 12, 2004
Shapiro, Shapiro and Shapiro Co., L.P.A., Daniel L. Shapiro and LeahP. VanderKaay, for relator.

Jim Petro, Attorney General, and Shareef Rabaa, for respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio.

IN MANDAMUS
{¶ 4} In this original action, relator, Pablo Poole, Jr., requests a writ of mandamus ordering respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio ("commission") to vacate its order Respondents. denying him permanent total disability ("PTD") compensation and to enter an order granting said compensation.

{¶ 5} In the alternative, relator requests that the writ order the commission to vacate its order denying him R.C. 4123.56(A) wage loss compensation beginning April 18, 2003, and to enter an order granting said compensation. Findings of Fact:

{¶ 6} 1. On December 18, 1998, relator sustained an industrial injury while employed as a laborer for the water department of respondent City of Cleveland. The industrial claim is allowed for: "sprain lumbar region; herniated discs at L3-4, L4-5 and L5-S1 with impingement on the L3 nerve root, L4 nerve root and the S1 nerve roots bilaterally with radiculopathy," and is assigned claim number 98-603637.

{¶ 7} 2. On February 25, 2002, relator filed an application for PTD compensation. In support, relator submitted a report dated December 12, 2001, from Dr. Michael A. Frasca who opined that the industrial injury made relator "a candidate for total disability."

{¶ 8} 3. On May 23, 2002, relator was examined by David M. Rosenberg, M.D., on behalf of the commission. Dr. Rosenberg wrote:

* * * Mr. Poole has continued manifestations related to his back surgery and previous disc. He has chronic pain with some radicular manifestations with absent deep tendon reflexes as noted above. His condition would best be categorized as DRE lumbosacral category V (page 102 of the Fourth Edition AMA Guides), radiculopathy and loss of motion segment integrity. The previously [sic] surgery has resulted in the loss of motion segment integrity, and he continues to have radiculopathy. He would be 25% whole person impaired. * * *

In CONCLUSION, it can be stated with a reasonable degree of medical certainty, for Mr. Poole's back problems he has 25% whole person impairment. He has reached maximum medical improvement, and could perform sedentary types of jobs which allowed him to intermittently rest. * * *

(Emphasis sic.)

{¶ 9} 4. The commission requested an employability assessment report from Larry G. Kontosh, a vocational expert. The Kontosh report, dated July 10, 2002, responds to the following query:

Based on separate considerations of reviewed medical and psychological opinions regarding functional limitations which arise from the allowed condition(s), the following occupations are identified which the claimant may reasonably be expected to perform, immediately and/or following appropriate academic remediation or brief skill training.

(Emphasis omitted.)

{¶ 10} Indicating acceptance of Dr. Rosenberg's reports, Kontosh listed the following employment options: "Telephone solicitor, sorter, small parts assembler."

{¶ 11} The Kontosh report further states:

* * * How if at all do the claimant's age, education, work history, or other factors (physical, psychological, sociological) affect his/her ability to meet the basic demands of entry level occupations?

Age: The claimant is 43 years old. His age is a not [sic] vocational disadvantage.

Education: The claimant is a high school graduate. This is a vocational advantage.

Work History: Work history includes semi-skilled work. Skills do not transfer below medium level work.

Other: The claimant last worked in 2001. This 1 year absence from the active labor force is not a significant vocational disadvantage.

* * * Does review of the background data indicate whether the claimant may reasonably develop academic or other skills required to perform entry level sedentary or light jobs?

Claimant is a high school graduate. He can learn new work.

{¶ 12} The Kontosh report further states:

* * * Work History:

  Job          * * *        Skill           Strength        Dates
  Title                     Level           Level
  Municipal
  services
  worker       * * *        Semi-skilled    Heavy       1988-2001
  Security
  guard        * * *        Semi-skilled    Light       1987-1988
  Sanitation                                Very
  laborer      * * *        Unskilled       heavy       1977-1978
(Emphasis omitted.)

{¶ 13} 5. Following a September 12, 2002 hearing, a staff hearing officer ("SHO") issued an order denying relator's application for PTD compensation. The SHO's order states:

After full consideration of the issue it is the order of the Staff Hearing Officer that the Application filed 02/25/2002, for Permanent and Total Disability Compensation, be denied. All medical and vocational proof on file was reviewed and considered. This order is based on the reports of Dr. David Rosenberg and Dr. Larry Kontosh.

Dr. Rosenberg examined the claimant at the request of the Industrial Commission. Dr. Rosenberg indicated that, as a result of the injuries allowed in the three claims referenced above, the claimant had a 25% permanent partial impairment. Dr.

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