State ex rel. Rocktenn Co. v. Indus. Comm.

2013 Ohio 5296
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 3, 2013
Docket12AP-862
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 2013 Ohio 5296 (State ex rel. Rocktenn Co. v. Indus. Comm.) 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. Rocktenn Co. v. Indus. Comm., 2013 Ohio 5296 (Ohio Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

[Cite as State ex rel. Rocktenn Co. v. Indus. Comm., 2013-Ohio-5296.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO

TENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

State ex rel. Rocktenn Company, : f.k.a. Stone Container Corp., : Relator, : No. 12AP-862 v. : (REGULAR CALENDAR) Edward A. Long, Sr. and Industrial Commission of Ohio, :

Respondents. :

D E C I S I O N

Rendered on December 3, 2013

Scott, Scriven & Wahoff, LLP, Timothy E. Cowans and C. Bradley Howenstein, for relator.

Richard F. Brian, for respondent Edward A. Long, Sr.

Michael DeWine, Attorney General, and LaTawnda N. Moore, for respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio.

IN MANDAMUS ON OBJECTIONS TO THE MAGISTRATE'S DECISION

DORRIAN, J. {¶ 1} Relator, Rocktenn Company, f.k.a. Stone Container Corp., has filed this original action requesting that this court issue a writ of mandamus ordering respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio ("commission") to vacate its order awarding to respondent, Edward A. Long, Sr. ("claimant"), a one-percent increase in his percentage of permanent partial disability ("PPD") compensation pursuant to R.C. 4123.57. Relator asks us to order the commission to deny claimant's application for an increase in his PPD. No. 12AP-862 2

{¶ 2} Pursuant to Civ.R. 53(D) and Loc. R.13(M) of the Tenth District Court of Appeals, this matter was referred to a magistrate who issued a decision, including findings of fact and conclusions of law, which is appended hereto. The magistrate recommends that this court deny the request for a writ of mandamus. {¶ 3} Relator generally argues that, although the magistrate has set forth the applicable statute, R.C. 4123.57(A), and Ohio Adm.Code 4123-3-15(B), it does not apply the same to the facts of this case. Relator sets forth the following three specific objections: The magistrate erred in concluding that Long's subjective complaint described as "chronic pain" by Dr. Iemma, absent reasonably demonstrable (i.e. objective) medical or clinical findings showing a worsening of his condition since the last hearing, constituted some evidence upon which the commission could rely to award a PPD increase.

The magistrate erred in finding Dr. Iemma's report describing Long's subjective complaints as "chronic pain" constituted substantial evidence of new and changed circumstances since the last award.

The magistrate erred in finding the 2011 report of Dr. Iemma was some evidence upon which the commission could rely where his report suggests he was unaware of Long's 2010 back injury and resulting herniated disk at L4-5 when he attributed Long's low back pain following his 2010 injury to a 1990 claim that had not required any treatment or mediation for the previous nine years.

{¶ 4} The arguments raised in relator's objections are essentially the same as those raised before and addressed by the magistrate. {¶ 5} R.C. 4123.57(A) states in part: Except on application for reconsideration, review, or modification, which is filed within ten days after the date of receipt of the decision of the district hearing officer, in no instance shall [a PPD] award be modified unless it is found from medical or clinical findings that the condition of the claimant resulting from the injury has so progressed as to have increased the percentage of permanent partial disability. * * * No application for subsequent percentage determin- ations on the same claim for injury or occupational disease shall be accepted for review by the district hearing officer unless supported by substantial evidence of new and changed No. 12AP-862 3

circumstances developing since the time of the hearing on the original or last determination.

{¶ 6} Ohio Adm.Code 4123-3-15(B) states:

(B) "Application for Determination of Percentage of Permanent Partial Disability or Increase of Permanent Partial Disability" pursuant to division (A) of section 4123.57 of the Revised Code in state fund and self-insured claims.

(1) * * * An application for an increase in permanent partial disability must be accompanied by substantial evidence of new and changed circumstances which have developed since the time of the hearing on the original or last determination.

{¶ 7} While relator continues to argue in general that claimant's subjective complaint of "chronic pain" cannot justify the grant of an increase in permanent partial disability, absent objective medical or clinical findings of increased impairment, we reject this argument and find no merit for the reasons stated in the magistrate's decision. {¶ 8} Furthermore, for the reasons stated in the magistrate's decision, we reject relator's specific arguments that (1) claimant's complaint of chronic pain cannot constitute substantial evidence of new and changed circumstances because the opining physician failed to indicate when the "chronic pain" began, and (2) that Dr. Iemma's 2011 report cannot constitute some evidence upon which the commission could rely because the report indicates no awareness of claimant's 2010 back injury. We also reject relator's assertion that Dr. Sethi's report is the only report on which the commission could rely. {¶ 9} Upon review of the magistrate's decision, an independent review of the record, and due consideration of relator's objections, we find the magistrate has properly determined the pertinent facts and applied the appropriate law. We therefore overrule relator's three objections to the magistrate's decision and adopt the magistrate's decision as our own, including the findings of fact and conclusions of law contained therein. {¶ 10} Accordingly, the requested writ of mandamus is hereby denied. Objections overruled; writ denied. SADLER and O'GRADY, JJ., concur. No. 12AP-862 4

APPENDIX

State ex rel. Rocktenn Company, f.k.a. Stone : Container Corp., : Relator, : No. 12AP-862 v. : (REGULAR CALENDAR) Edward A. Long, Sr. and Industrial Commission of Ohio, :

MAGISTRATE'S DECISION

Rendered on July 30, 2013

Scott, Scriven & Wahoff, LLP, Timothy E. Cowans and C. Bradley Howenstein, for relator.

Michael DeWine, Attorney General, and LaTawnda N. Moore, for respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio.

IN MANDAMUS

{¶ 11} In this original action, relator, Rocktenn Company, f.k.a. Stone Container Corp. requests a writ of mandamus ordering respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio ("commission") to vacate its order awarding to respondent, Edward A. Long, Sr. ("claimant"), a one percent increase in his percentage of permanent partial disability No. 12AP-862 5

("PPD") pursuant to R.C. 4123.57, and to enter an order denying his application for an increase in his percentage of PPD. Findings of Fact: {¶ 12} 1. On September 18, 1990, claimant injured his lower back while employed with relator, a self-insured employer under Ohio's workers' compensation laws. On that date, claimant slipped on a wet floor and fell. The industrial claim (No. L55731-22) is allowed for: "low back strain; herniated disc L5-S1, left." {¶ 13} 2. Initially, in January 1992, claimant filed an application for the determination of his percentage of PPD. In October 1993, he was awarded eight percent PPD. {¶ 14} 3. In April 1994, claimant filed an application for an increase in the percentage of his PPD. In May 1995, he was awarded a 5 percent increase for a total of 13 percent PPD. {¶ 15} 4. In May 2001, claimant filed another application for an increase in his percentage of PPD. In February 2002, he was awarded a 2 percent increase for a total of 15 percent. {¶ 16} 5. Earlier, in July 1992, claimant underwent a laminectomy and discectomy at L5-S1 on the left. {¶ 17} 6.

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2013 Ohio 5296, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-rocktenn-co-v-indus-comm-ohioctapp-2013.