State Ex Rel. York Int. v. Indus. Comm., Unpublished Decision (5-27-2004)

2004 Ohio 2714
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 27, 2004
DocketNo. 03AP-567.
StatusUnpublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 2004 Ohio 2714 (State Ex Rel. York Int. v. Indus. Comm., Unpublished Decision (5-27-2004)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law.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. York Int. v. Indus. Comm., Unpublished Decision (5-27-2004), 2004 Ohio 2714 (Ohio Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

DECISION
ON OBJECTIONS TO MAGISTRATE'S DECISION
{¶ 1} Relator, York International Corporation, commenced this original action requesting a writ of mandamus that orders respondent Industrial Commission of Ohio to vacate its order awarding R.C. 4123.56(B) wage loss compensation to respondent Carolyn Zobel ("claimant") beginning August 2, 2001, 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 issued a decision, including findings of fact and conclusions of law. (Attached as Appendix A.) In his decision the magistrate concluded that: (1) Dr. Monbarren's August 2, 2001 report constitutes some medical evidence that the commission could rely on to support its determination claimant is unable to perform comparably paying work, and (2) claimant's failure to present evidence of a search for a comparably paying work does not bar her wage loss claim, given the staff hearing officer's permissible conclusion that claimant is not physically capable of comparably paying work. Accordingly, the magistrate determined the court should deny the requested writ of mandamus.

{¶ 3} Relator has filed objections to the magistrate's decision, largely rearguing those matters adequately addressed in the decision. For the reasons set forth in the magistrate's decision, as amplified here, the objections are overruled.

{¶ 4} Relator's first objection contends the magistrate's factual finding No. 5 incorrectly states or, at a minimum, implies that after the claimant completed the front side of the form C-140 requesting wage loss compensation, Dr. Monbarren completed the back side of the same C-140 form. Contrary to relator's objections, the magistrate's findings of fact state simply that "Dr. Monbarren completed and signed the medical report on the backside of the C-140." The magistrate's finding neither states nor implies that Dr. Monbarren completed her medical report after the claimant completed the front side of the same form.

{¶ 5} Relator's second objection is directed to the magistrate's factual finding No. 7, which states that Dr. Bond examined claimant only for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. According to relator, the commission did not so find, and a fair reading of Dr. Bond's complete report does not support the factual finding.

{¶ 6} Relator is correct in asserting that the commission did not reject Dr. Bond's report on that basis, and the magistrate does not contend otherwise. The magistrate's finding of fact, however, is supported by Dr. Bond's report, which relates a physical examination of claimant's wrists and hands, not shoulders, and states the allowed condition is bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Indeed, in the conclusion section of his report, Dr. Bond sets forth the pertinent question: "What, if any, medical restrictions does Ms. Zobel have based solely upon the condition allowed in this claim?" (June 21, 2001 report, 3). Dr. Bond responds that "based upon review of the medical record and this examination, that as it relates to the allowed condition of this claim (bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome) Ms. Zobel has no need for medical restrictions." Id. Although his conclusion additionally mentions a "non-allowed non-injury related problems with both of her shoulders," and opines that the "condition does require medical restrictions regarding overhead work," he concludes that the restrictions are not related to the "injury claim condition of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome." Id.

{¶ 7} In objecting to the magistrate's conclusions of law, relator contends the magistrate incorrectly concluded Dr. Monbarren's August 2, 2001 report on the C-140 constitutes "some medical evidence" that the claimant is unable to perform comparably paying work. Relator in part premises its argument on the May 5, 1999 report of Dr. Monbarren, which addressed the condition of "adhesive capsulitis and subacromial bursitis." Relator apparently suggests that Dr. Monbarren's earlier report, with the reference to a nonallowed condition, was the premise for her August 2, 2001 report on which the commission relied.

{¶ 8} As the magistrate pointed out, there is "no evidence * * * before this court that Dr. Monbarren's May 5, 1999 report was used by relator at the commission proceedings to challenge Dr. Monbarren's August 2, 2001 report. Nor does relator actually assert in this action that Dr. Monbarren's May 5, 1999 report was used in the commission proceedings to impeach Dr. Monbarren's August 2, 2001 report." (Magistrate's Decision, ¶ 40.) As the magistrate aptly observes, "issues not raised in the commission proceedings are not reviewable in mandamus." (Magistrate's Decision, ¶ 41, citing State ex rel. Quarto Mining Co. v.Foreman (1997), 79 Ohio St.3d 78.)

{¶ 9} Relator responds that the burden was on claimant to present evidence to support the wage loss compensation award. Because the C-140 does not state the allowed conditions, relator contends the form falls short of meeting claimant's burden.

{¶ 10} Contrary to relator's contentions and for the reasons the magistrate delineated, claimant met her burden when she presented the fully completed C-140 that states it is premised on the allowed conditions. The burden of going forward with evidence to impeach claimant's C-140 then shifted to relator. The stipulated evidence does not indicate relator presented such impeachment evidence, and the issue it raises in its objection thus is not reviewable on mandamus.

{¶ 11} Relator next objects to the magistrate's conclusion that the commission did not abuse its discretion in rejecting Mark Anderson's vocational report. As the magistrate indicated, however, Anderson relied on Dr. Bond's opinion, which addressed the allowed condition of carpal tunnel syndrome. Accordingly, relator's contention is unpersuasive.

{¶ 12} Lastly, relator contends the magistrate erroneously concluded the commission did not abuse its discretion in finding claimant's allowed condition of bilateral shoulder bursitis precluded her from being able to perform comparably paying factory assembly positions identified in the Anderson Report. The magistrate adequately addressed the issue in his report, and for the reasons set forth in it, the objection is unpersuasive.

{¶ 13} Following independent review pursuant to Civ.R. 53, we find the magistrate has properly determined the pertinent facts and applied the salient law to them. Accordingly, we adopt the magistrate's decision as our own, including the findings of fact and conclusions of law contained in it. In accordance with the magistrate's decision, the requested writ is denied.

Objections overruled; writ denied.

Klatt and Watson, JJ., concur.

APPENDIX A
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO TENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
State of Ohio ex rel. : York International Corporation, : Relator, : v. : No. 03AP-567 The Industrial Commission of Ohio : (REGULAR CALENDAR) and Carolyn Zobel, : Respondents. :

MAGISTRATE'S DECISION
Rendered on December 24, 2003

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