Claimant is a 55 year old high school graduate with no additional education. Claimant has been married to his wife Jeanine Lewis for 35 years. Claimant and his wife have two sons, neither of whom were dependent upon him for support in June 2004, or at the present time. Claimant has fathered no other children. Claimant used his paycheck for household expenses for himself and his wife. In June 2004, his wife also worked outside the home, and used her paycheck for the support of her and Claimant.
Following high school, Claimant worked in the electrical field exclusively, except for occasional periods when he was laid off, at which time he temporarily worked for his father’s fence company.
Claimant was a groundman operator. His work as a groundman operator included operating a backhoe, boom truck, cranes, bulldozers, and high lifts. Claimant began working for Employer in 1998. The majority of his time was spent operating machines, although he did some shoveling and jack hammering. Claimant testified in June 2004, he made at least $25.00 per hour, which was the top operator’s scale. Claimant worked a forty hour week with occasional overtime.
Claimant occasionally operated a 75 to 100 pound jack hammer, and worked with shovels almost every day. He operated all of the equipment until the last couple of years when he operated a backhoe. Claimant constantly moved levers all day with his hands. The operation of the backhoe produced a lot of vibration. Also, on the boom truck there was some vibration while Claimant was operating the levers.
Claimant began experiencing symptoms in his hands in approximately 2001 or 2002. Claimant was referred to Dr. Crandall for treatment. Following a nerve conduction study which revealed severe left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral carpal tunnel releases were recommended. Dr. Crandall noted based upon Claimant’s description of his job, it was theoretically possible his job was considered hand intensive. Claimant underwent bilateral carpal tunnel releases in February and March 2006. Following a course of physical therapy, Dr. Crandall released Claimant at MMI with no restrictions on September 6, 2006. Dr. Crandall rated Claimant with a 10% PPD referable to each wrist.
At Claimant’s last physical examination by Dr. Crandall on September 6, 2006, Claimant reported a good result, but some residual symptoms including occasional symptoms when he drove. Upon examination, Dr. Crandall
found a negative Tinel sign, negative Phalen's test, and negative Finklestein's test on both hands. There was a negative provocative test bilaterally, and no evidence of ganglions, trigger fingering, or thenar muscle atrophy.
Claimant was evaluated by Dr. Lichtenfeld, a family practice physician on November 30, 2006. He complained to Dr. Lichtenfeld of extensive symptoms in each hand. He complained both wrists hurt all the time. Dr. Lichtenfeld's physical examination revealed equivocal Tinel's signs, positive reverse Phalen's tests and positive pressure tests. Dr. Lichtenfeld rated Claimant with a 37.5 % PPD referable to each wrist.
Claimant settled his claim with Employer for 20\% PPD of each wrist with a 10\% load factor, and three weeks disfigurement. Claimant resigned his job with Employer on June 24, 2004. Claimant was not pressured to resign, and he left Employer of his own volition.
Claimant states his hand and wrists began bothering him two or three years before he terminated his employment with Employer on June 24, 2004, but he never asked anyone for treatment until after he quit working for Employer and filed his Claim for Compensation.