White, Ransy v. Boles Trucking

2016 TN WC 220
CourtTennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims
DecidedSeptember 26, 2016
Docket2016-04-0074
StatusPublished

This text of 2016 TN WC 220 (White, Ransy v. Boles Trucking) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Tennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
White, Ransy v. Boles Trucking, 2016 TN WC 220 (Tenn. Super. Ct. 2016).

Opinion

FILED

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TENNESSEE BUREAU OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION IN THE COURT OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS AT COOKEVILLE

RANDY WHITE, ) Docket No.: 2016-04-0074 Employee, ) v. ) State File No.: 17376-2015 ) BOLES TRUCKING, ) Judge Robert Durham Employer. ) )

EXPEDITED HEARING ORDER GRANTING MEDICAL BENEFITS AND TEMPORARY DISABILITY BENEFITS

This cause came before the undersigned Workers' Compensation Judge on September 6, 20 16, upon the Request for Expedited Hearing (REH) filed by the employee, Randy White, on March 14, 2016, pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-239 (2015). Mr. White filed the Request to determine if the employer, Boles Trucking, is obligated to pay for a fusion surgery on his lumbar spine and temporary disability benefits from the date Boles terminated them through the present and ongoing, for an alleged work-related injury he sustained on February 11, 2015.

The dispositive issue is whether Mr. White's need for a fusion at L4-5 primarily arose out of and in the course and scope of his employment with Boles. 1 The Court holds Mr. White provided sufficient evidence to establish he is likely to prevail at a hearing on the merits on that issue and is thus entitled to benefits for treatment of the injury.

1 The parties stipulated at the hearing that the disc protrusion at L5-Sl is primarily related to Mr. White's work injury of July 6, 2014, and Boles has agreed to pay for the reasonable and necessary medical treatment recommended by Dr. Shibayama for that injury. The parties further agreed that, should Mr. White establish he is likely to prevail at trial as to whether his current condition and need for fusion is compensable, Boles shall pay temporary disability benefits owed Mr. White due to his inability to work as a result of his condition. Therefore, the sole issue presented to the Court was whether Mr. White's need for a fusion at L4-5 arose primarily from his alleged work-related injury on February 11, 2015. History of Claim

Mr. White testified he is sixty years old and has been a truck driver for most of his working life. He worked on and off for Boles, owned by his daughter and her husband, for the past fifteen years with his latest stint beginning approximately six years ago. Mr. White's job primarily consisted of travelling to and from Tennessee to Louisville, Kentucky, picking up and dropping off trailers filled with lime or other materials.

With regard to past medical problems, Mr. Boles testified he sustained serious injuries to his lower extremities approximately twenty years ago, requiring reconstruction of his right leg and steel plates in his left foot. He stated the injury still causes him occasional pain but did not interfere with his ability to do his job.

Mr. Boles also conceded he suffered an injury to his low back in 2007 for which he received treatment from Dr. John Hudson. According to Dr. Hudson's records, Mr. Boles complained of low back pain radiating to his legs, as well as numbness and "pins and needles" down his left leg, and some constipation. (Ex. 3D at 1.) He further stated he could only stand or walk for fifteen minutes before the pain required him to rest. Id. at 2. Mr. Boles underwent an MRI that showed degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 and T12-L1 with no herniation. Id. at 9. Dr. Hudson did note a left-sided disc protrusion at L5-Sl. !d. at 10. However, Mr. Boles testified his back and leg pain subsequently improved with no residual symptoms, and he was able to return to work at full duty with no restrictions.

Mr. White and his daughter, Chastity Boles, both testified that, prior to July 6, 2014, he performed his job duties with no restrictions and no complaints other than normal aches and pains associated with work. On July 6, 2014, Mr. White sustained a work-related injury to his lumbar spine, resulting in a left-sided herniation at L5-S 1. (Ex. 2 at 6.) Boles accepted the injury as compensable and authorized Dr. Juris Shibayama to provide treatment. !d. At his first visit to Dr. Shibayama, Mr. Boles complained of"pain going across his back and the tops of his feet hurt" with "left greater than right throbbing." (Ex. 3B at 3.) Dr. Shibayama noted Mr. White suffered from a left disc herniation at L5-S1 as well as spondylolisthesis at L4-5. !d. He eventually performed a left microdiscectomy at L5-Sl on December 1, 2014. Id.

On January 15, 2015, Dr. Shibayama noted Mr. White recovered "very well" from his surgery and was now complaining of no leg pain at all. I d. at 11. As a result, he released Mr. White to return to work at full duty with no restrictions. !d.

Mr. White testified he returned to work for Boles at full duty and had no problems performing all his job requirements until February 11, 2015. Mr. White testified that on that date, he had climbed onto his truck to add antifreeze to the engine. As he was getting

2 down, he slipped and fell to the ground. He immediately felt intense, burning pain down both legs. He testified that he called Ms. Boles and told her about the incident within minutes of its occurrence and informed her he would not be able to drive the truck back to Tennessee.

Ms. Boles confirmed that Mr. White called her on Tuesday, February 11. She testified that he told her his legs had been burning since Sunday night/Monday morning, but after getting down from his truck after putting antifreeze in it, the pain and burning in his legs and back became intolerable. On cross-examination, she confirmed that from January 15, 2015, when Dr. Shibayama released Mr. White, through February 11, Mr. White had returned to full duty and did not complain of back or leg pain to her. Mr. White testified he could not remember whether he told her his feet had been bothering him on Sunday and Monday, but the burning pain in his back and legs he experienced after falling from his truck was a distinct change from any pain he experienced before the fall. He further testified that, prior to the fall, he had no problems performing his job as a truck driver. Nevertheless, Ms. Boles was unequivocal in her testimony that he told her on February 11 that his legs had been burning for two days.

Mr. White returned to Dr. Shibayama on February 24. (Ex. 3E at 1.) On the intake form, Mr. White noted, either directly or through his wife, that he was experiencing "70%" back pain, but did not note any percentage of pain in his legs. However, on the same page, Mr. White drew straight lines down both legs of a human diagram, indicating he had pain in his legs, as well as thoracic back pain. !d. Dr. Shibayama's record states Mr. White complained of only thoracic pain and no leg pain. He diagnosed a thoracic strain and recommended therapy. (Ex. 3C at 2.) Mr. White testified that the thoracic pain resolved shortly after this visit to Dr. Shibayama.

Mr. White began physical therapy on March 10. !d. at 9. According to the records, he complained of pain in his low back, right hip and left leg with positive bilateral straight leg raise tests. !d. Mr. White returned to Dr. Shibayama on March 17. According to the intake form, Mr. White indicated he had pain down both legs as well as in his back and stated the percentage of pain was "60%" in all three areas. !d. at 14. However, Dr. Shibayama again noted in his report that Mr. White did not complain of leg pain. !d. at 13. Mr. White returned on April 14, reporting no improvement. !d. at 15. At this point, Dr. Shibayama noted Mr. White's pain was across his low back and radiating into the right buttock more than the left, and he ordered a lumbar MRI. !d. at 16. The MRI revealed spondylolisthesis at L4-5 "translating 4.5 mm with severe disc degeneration at L5-Sl." !d. at 17. Dr.

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Related

§ 50-6
Tennessee § 50-6
§ 50-6-102
Tennessee § 50-6-102(14)(A)
§ 50-6-116
Tennessee § 50-6-116

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2016 TN WC 220, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/white-ransy-v-boles-trucking-tennworkcompcl-2016.