Wright, Keith v. Cummins Engine Company, Inc.

2019 TN WC 66
CourtTennessee Court of Workers' Compensation Claims
DecidedApril 24, 2019
Docket2018-08-0654
StatusPublished

This text of 2019 TN WC 66 (Wright, Keith v. Cummins Engine Company, Inc.) 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
Wright, Keith v. Cummins Engine Company, Inc., 2019 TN WC 66 (Tenn. Super. Ct. 2019).

Opinion

FILED Apr 24, 2019 12:33 PM(CT) TENNESSEE COURT OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS

TENNESSEE BUREAU OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION IN THE COURT OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIMS AT MEMPHIS

KEITH WRIGHT, ) Docket No. 2018-08-0654 Employee, ) ) ) State File No. 97719-2015 v. ) CUMMINS ENGINE COMPANY, ) INC., ) Judge Deana C. Seymour Employer. ) ________________________________________________________________________

COMPENSATION HEARING ORDER DENYING BENEFITS

This case came before the Court on March 20, 2019, for a Compensation Hearing on Mr. Wright’s request for medical, temporary and permanent disability benefits. For the reasons below, the Court holds Mr. Wright did not prove he sustained a compensable work injury and denies his claim.

History of Claim

Mr. Wright worked as a CNC operator for Cummins on November 20, 2015, when he claimed a repetitive injury to his arms and neck. He reported the injury to Cummins and selected Dr. Lloyd Robinson from a panel of physicians for treatment. 1

After conservative treatment, Dr. Robinson referred Mr. Wright to Dr. Christian Fahey, an orthopedic specialist. Mr. Wright complained of bilateral elbow pain, right worse than left, on January 25, 2016. Dr. Fahey performed a physical examination, reviewed x-rays of the right symptomatic elbow, and concluded, “[H]e has pain without any anatomic correspondence.” Dr. Fahey released Mr. Wright at maximum medical improvement (MMI) with no permanent impairment.

1 The Parties stipulated that Dr. Lloyd Robinson, Dr. Christian Fahey and Dr. Tyler Cannon provided authorized medical treatment. They stipulated to introducing their medical records, which the Court accepted as evidence.

1 Dissatisfied, Mr. Wright asked for another doctor, and Cummins provided a panel of orthopedic surgeons. He chose Dr. Tyler Cannon. At his first visit, Mr. Wright described bilateral arm pain but denied any neck pain or neurological deficits. Dr. Cannon assessed bilateral forearm pain that “did not correlate with any significant anatomic process.” Dr. Cannon focused on Mr. Wright’s more symptomatic right arm. He ordered a right-elbow MRI at Mr. Wright’s insistence and continued him at full duty. When the MRI returned normal, Dr. Cannon released Mr. Wright at MMI with no permanent impairment on February 25. He concluded that his work did not cause or contribute more than fifty percent to his right forearm and elbow pain. 2

Still displeased, Mr. Wright visited his primary care physician, Dr. Laura Lendermon. 3 She ordered a nerve conduction study and cervical MRI. The nerve conduction results showed no cervical or bilateral extremity radiculopathy. Mr. Wright underwent a cervical nerve block after the cervical MRI showed moderate to severe cervical canal stenosis along with central canal stenosis.

On October 21, Mr. Wright returned to Dr. Cannon with bilateral arm and neck pain. Dr. Cannon reviewed the medical records Mr. Wright provided and examined him. Dr. Cannon determined that he had no permanent impairment and concluded, “I do not think his symptoms are correlated necessarily with work and given that he does not have a work injury I do not think that the cause is work related.”

Cummins terminated Mr. Wright on October 24 for violating its attendance policy. He missed twelve days of work without providing documentation to excuse his absenteeism.

Ten days later, Mr. Wright saw Dr. Manuel Carro by referral from Dr. Lendermon. Dr. Carro believed he would benefit from a block and physical therapy. Mr. Wright testified he declined treatment because he lost insurance coverage after his termination. Contrary to Dr. Carro’s record, Mr. Wright contended Dr. Carro suggested a cervical fusion.

Mr. Wright consulted neurosurgeon Dr. Thomas Windham about surgery in June 2017. Dr. Windham ordered a CT-myelogram that showed degenerative changes in Mr. Wright’s neck. Dr. Windham did not recommend surgery but ordered cervical blocks. 4

2 Dr. Cannon did not address the less symptomatic left-arm complaints. 3 The parties stipulated to introducing the medical records of Dr. Laura Lendermon, Dr. Manuel Carro, and Dr. Thomas Windham, which were attached to Dr. Samuel Chung’s deposition. 4 Dr. Windham’s records do not show whether Mr. Wright underwent the cervical blocks.

2 Afterward Mr. Wright scheduled an independent medical examination with Dr. Samuel Chung, who is board-certified in physical medicine, rehabilitation, and independent medical evaluations. Dr. Chung testified by deposition that on December 11, 2018, he evaluated Mr. Wright, who complained of neck pain radiating into his arms. He reviewed Mr. Wright’s medical records, including unauthorized treatment records after Drs. Fahey and Cannon released him at MMI.

Dr. Chung diagnosed “residual from cervical injury with on going right cervical radiculopathy.” He assigned an eleven-percent permanent impairment rating from a repetitive work injury and suggested he avoid overhead work, work away from the body, and repetitive activity. Dr. Chung did not address Mr. Wright’s bilateral arm and cervical pain from a rear-end automobile accident two months before his alleged work injury. He testified that a minor rear-end automobile accident in January 2018 did not worsen Mr. Wright’s neck symptoms. 5

At the hearing, Mr. Wright insisted he sustained a gradually-occurring injury to his arms and neck arising primarily out of and in the course and scope of his employment with Cummins. He questioned the correctness of his ATPs’ opinions and argued that neither ATP examined his neck, which Dr. Chung concluded caused his symptoms. Mr. Wright further relied on Dr. Chung’s testimony to show his neck injury resulted in permanent impairment and restriction.

Cummins countered that Mr. Wright failed to prove the compensability of his claim by a preponderance of the evidence, considering all causes. Cummins contended that Mr. Wright did not disclose Dr. Cannon’s complete record or medical records of treatment for a rear-end automobile accident two months before he claimed this work injury. It also pointed out pre-existing neck and arm complaints of which Dr. Chung had no knowledge and inconsistencies in Dr. Chung’s testimony, contending his opinions did not rebut the ATPs’ opinions by a preponderance of the evidence.

Cummins introduced documentation of a lawsuit where Mr. Wright claimed disabling and permanent injuries to his back, neck, and other body parts from the prior automobile accident. It further relied on medical and chiropractic records predating the work injury, including Mr. Wright’s complaints of neck and bilateral arm pain.

Cummins also argued that Dr. Chung listed the previous automobile accident date rather than the work injury date on his IME report. Dr. Chung testified that he did not review medical records from, nor did Mr. Wright tell him about, that accident. Dr. Chung agreed the conditions Mr. Wright alleged after the automobile accident were the same conditions Dr. Chung evaluated. Dr. Chung testified that the automobile accident could

5 The Parties stipulated to medical records from We Care Chiropractic and NP Family Health & Wellness Clinic for treatment related to his automobile accidents, which the Court accepted as evidence.

3 cause or worsen his neck symptoms. He further agreed that Mr. Wright’s symptoms after the January 2018 automobile accident resulted in a CT scan and other diagnostic tests of Mr. Wright’s neck.

Finally, Cummins disputed the basis of Dr. Chung’s impairment rating. Although Dr. Chung based the eleven-percent impairment rating on verifiable cervical radiculopathy, two EMG/nerve conduction studies and a CT myelogram failed to reveal cervical radiculopathy.

Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law

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Related

§ 50-6
Tennessee § 50-6
§ 50-6-102
Tennessee § 50-6-102(14)(B)
§ 50-6-204
Tennessee § 50-6-204(k)(7)
§ 50-6-239
Tennessee § 50-6-239(c)(7)

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2019 TN WC 66, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wright-keith-v-cummins-engine-company-inc-tennworkcompcl-2019.