Summary of the Evidence
Claimant testified at the hearing that he is 67 years old. In November 2000, he was employed by Strong Alarm Company. Employer was headquartered in Olathe, Kansas. Employer installed residential and commercial fire alarms. Claimant had worked for Employer on the alarm side of the business for three and one-half years. Claimant installed alarm systems for Employer. He pulled cables on tops of buildings and attics. Cables weighed between fifty and one hundred pounds. He mounted boxes on walls, and ran cables through ceilings and walls and into basements. He climbed ladders and carried boxes with alarms that weighed around forty-five pounds.
Claimant had also worked for Employer as a technician in a pawn shop repairing electronic devices including copy machines and air compressors. He worked on the pawn side for fifteen years and was then transferred to the alarm company side.
On November 16, 2000, while working for Employer, Claimant installed an alarm system in Liberty, Missouri. He finished that job and then began driving Employer's Nissan pickup truck to another job. Claimant was involved in a motor vehicle accident on Highway 52 in Clay County, Missouri while driving to the other job. He was traveling about seventy miles per hour when a large deer jumped out in front of him and his truck struck the deer. His truck came to rest in a ravine on the side of the road.
The pick-up Claimant was driving had a camper shell that held tools. The front end of the truck came off and the windshield came out as a result of the accident. Equipment from the back of the truck came inside the truck and struck Claimant. He was wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident. He was under the dash when the truck came to rest. Claimant said he hurt all over after the accident.
Claimant called 911 on his cell phone. Fire department personnel removed him from the vehicle. He was driven to North Kansas City Hospital where x-rays were taken and pain medication was prescribed. He did not stay at the hospital overnight.
Claimant was also injured on March 8, 2000 when he fell off a ladder while on the job. Claimant testified that he was injured on his right side above his waist in the March 2000 accident. Claimant's employer did not have worker's compensation when Claimant was injured in March 2000. Claimant went to Dr. Gamble on his own. He was already scheduled to see Dr. Reintjes when he had the accident on November 16, 2000.
Claimant said he had problems with his head, shoulders, and back after the accident of March 8, 2000. He was able to work, but he had problems. Claimant testified he did not miss work between March 2000 and November 2000. He agreed that in the thirteen weeks before his November 2000 accident, he worked one and a half hours overtime during one week and three overtime hours during two weeks. He had pain and issues after the March fall, but he did his job for Employer.
Claimant testified that he was not having any problems before the March 2000 ladder accident. He performed his job without difficulty. He was under no doctor's care and was under no doctor's restrictions before March 2000. He was not taking any medication at that time.
Claimant initially complained of problems with his right side after the March 2000 accident. He saw Dr. Gamble between the time of his fall and the time of his November 2000 automobile accident. Dr. Gamble prescribed medication. Claimant did not have physical therapy during that time. Dr. Gamble had not recommended surgery. Dr. Gamble recommended that he hav