Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Date unavailable
Jeffrey P. Wetzel vs. Treasurer of Missouri as Custodian of Second Injury Fund
Jeffrey P. Wetzel appealed the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission's denial of his claim for workers' compensation benefits from the Second Injury Fund. The Commission found Wetzel's preexisting low back disability was not "medically documented" as required by statute, despite medical records from 2017. The appellate court reversed, holding that the Commission legally erred by conflating the requirements for medical documentation and disability rating, and that Exhibit 14 provided sufficient medical documentation. The case was remanded with instructions to award permanent total disability benefits to Wetzel.