Zitzka v. Industrial Commission

767 N.E.2d 405, 328 Ill. App. 3d 844, 262 Ill. Dec. 945, 2002 Ill. App. LEXIS 165
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedMarch 14, 2002
Docket1-01-0955 WC
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 767 N.E.2d 405 (Zitzka v. Industrial Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Zitzka v. Industrial Commission, 767 N.E.2d 405, 328 Ill. App. 3d 844, 262 Ill. Dec. 945, 2002 Ill. App. LEXIS 165 (Ill. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

JUSTICE RARICK

delivered the opinion of the court:

Claimant, Robert Zitzka, sought benefits pursuant to the Workers’ Compensation Act (Act) (820 ILCS 305/1 et seq. (West 1994)) for injuries sustained while in the employ of Reflector Hardware Corporation (Reflector). On August 14, 1994, Zitzka, a forklift operator, was injured when a forklift went out of control and pinned him against a rock. On August 21, 1996, the arbitrator issued a decision awarding Zitzka 733/7 weeks of temporary total disability (TTD) benefits and medical benefits and found Zitzka permanently partially disabled to the extent of 45% of the person as a whole.

On September 30, 1996, Reflector appealed to the Industrial Commission (Commission) (94WC51030). In its petition for review, it listed as issues TTD, medical expenses, causal connection and nature and extent of the injury. In its statement of exceptions and brief, however, Reflector stated that the only issue was the amount of medical benefits awarded. Zitzka did not file a petition for review, but did request an increase in permanency in his brief. Oral argument was held before the Commission on July 23, 1997. Reflector again limited its argument to the amount of medical expenses. Reflector disputed only the issue of whether the medical services provided to Zitzka after May 10, 1996, were causally related to his work accident and whether such services were reasonable and necessary to reheve Zitzka from the effects of the accident.

On July 31, 1997, Zitzka filed a petition seeking additional compensation pursuant to section 19(k), penalties pursuant to section 19(1), and attorney fees pursuant to section 16 of the Act. Zitzka contended that he had not received payment for any portion of the arbitrator’s award and that such nonpayment was unreasonable, vexatious and merely for the purposes of delay.

On August 20, 1997, the Commission issued its decision in 94WC51030. The Commission found that the only issue being disputed by Reflector was whether medical services provided after May 10, 1996, were causally related to the work accident and that Reflector had waived all other issues. The Commission reduced the amount of medical expenses to $15,319.32 and remanded the cause to the arbitrator for the purpose of taking testimony regarding the post-May 10, 1996, medical bills so that a determination could be made as to whether they were causally related to the accident.

On September 7, 1997, counsel for Zitzka received a check dated August 8, 1997, in payment of the arbitrator’s award of permanent partial disability (PPD), TTD, and interest.

A hearing on Zitzka’s petition for penalties and fees was held before Commissioner Ketter on September 18, 1997. Commissioner Ketter granted the parties’ request to submit briefs and scheduled the case for oral arguments. On March 11, 1998, oral arguments were held before the Commission. Reflector acknowledged that at oral arguments on its appeal of the arbitrator’s decision it raised only the issue of medical expenses. Reflector argued that issues could be preserved for appeal to the Commission by raising them in either the petition for review or the statement of exceptions and supporting brief. The Commission rejected this argument, finding that pursuant to section 7040.70(d) of the rules governing the practice before the Commission, an issue had to be raised in both the petition for review and the statement of exceptions in order to be properly preserved for review. The Commission concluded that the only issue before it was the medical expense issue. Relying on Mid-American Lines, Inc. v. Industrial Comm’n, 82 Ill. 2d 47, 411 N.E.2d 254 (1980), however, Reflector argued that an employer was not required to pay any part of an award where there is a legitimate dispute over some portion thereof, in order to avoid “piecemeal” payment of awards. The Commission rejected Reflector’s interpretation of Mid-American Lines, noting that Reflector’s September 4, 1997, payment of a portion of the uncontested award belied its argument against payment of an award in a piecemeal fashion. The Commission concluded that Reflector raised no good-faith issues with respect to the issues of TTD and PPD and that its delay in paying the uncontested portion of the arbitrator’s award was unreasonable and vexatious. The Commission awarded $32,791 in penalties pursuant to section 19(k) and $6,558.29 in attorney fees pursuant to section 16.

Reflector sought judicial review of this decision in the circuit court of Cook County. The circuit court reversed the Commission’s decision, finding that the delay was not deliberate or the result of bad faith or an improper purpose, the standard for imposing penalties pursuant to section 19(k) and awarding attorney fees pursuant to section 16. The court noted that Reflector paid the TTD and PPD awards shortly after being requested to do so and that its failure to pay sooner was based upon its belief that Mid-American Lines did not require any payment of an award where a portion thereof was on review. Although the court characterized Reflector’s interpretation of Mid-American Lines as being a “close question,” it found Reflector’s rebanee thereon to have been in good faith. Noting that the standard for imposing penalties pursuant to section 19(1) was lower than that required for section 19(k), the court remanded the cause to the Commission for a determination of whether section 19(1) penalties should be awarded. Upon remand, the Commission awarded $2,500 in penalties pursuant to section 19(1). The circuit court confirmed the decision of the Commission.

Zitzka now appeals both the circuit court’s original order remanding the cause to the Commission and its decision confirming the Commission’s decision on remand.

On appeal, Zitzka argues first that the Commission’s decision to award additional compensation pursuant to section 19(k) and attorney fees pursuant to section 16 was not against the manifest weight of the evidence and that the circuit court erred in so finding.

Section 19(k) provides:

“(k) In case [sic] where there has been any unreasonable or vexatious delay of payment or intentional underpayment of compensation, or proceedings have been instituted or carried on by the one liable to pay the compensation, which do not present a real controversy, but are merely frivolous or for delay, then the Commission may award compensation additional to that otherwise payable under this Act equal to 50% of the amount payable at the time of such award. Failure to pay compensation in accordance with the provisions of Section 8, paragraph (b) of this Act, shall be considered unreasonable delay.” 820 ILCS 305/19(k) (West 1994).

Section 16 provides in pertinent part:

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Bluebook (online)
767 N.E.2d 405, 328 Ill. App. 3d 844, 262 Ill. Dec. 945, 2002 Ill. App. LEXIS 165, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/zitzka-v-industrial-commission-illappct-2002.