Filtered Decisions

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Jerry Sheets for a low back injury sustained on May 2, 2005, when he fell while walking across ductwork while carrying equipment. The claimant was awarded permanent partial disability benefits of 37-1/2% for the body as a whole, with additional permanent total disability benefits payable by the Second Injury Fund.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for Michael Doyle's low back injury and hernia sustained while lifting a package at work on January 9, 2004. The claimant was awarded 52 weeks of permanent partial disability compensation plus permanent total disability benefits against the Second Injury Fund due to the combination of the primary injury and preexisting conditions.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Ray Vincent for a compensable injury sustained on November 14, 2000, while lifting roofing materials. The Commission made a minor modification to clarify that the settlement hearing was held on September 9, 2004, rather than November 9, 2004.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's denial of the employee's workers' compensation claim, finding that he failed to meet his burden of proof on the issues of accident and medical causation. The Commission modified the award to correct a factual error regarding witness availability but upheld the ultimate conclusion that the claim was not compensable.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Azim Mutapcic for a low back injury sustained on August 1, 2005, while using a pry bar to move metal at work. The claimant was awarded compensation for 25% permanent disability to the body part with no liability assessed against the Second Injury Fund.

The Commission reversed the administrative law judge's decision denying further medical treatment and past medical expenses, finding that the employee was entitled to ongoing treatment related to her July 16, 2005 work injury. The Commission determined that the employee's need for further medical care was medically causally related to the work injury and awarded past medical expenses of $527.15.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's decision awarding no compensation in this workers' compensation case involving a 2004 back injury claim against the Second Injury Fund. The case centered on whether the employee's preexisting 1996 back injury constituted a serious enough permanent partial disability to constitute a hindrance to employment, which the ALJ found it did not.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to William Hazen for a low back injury sustained on October 15, 2003, while assisting in moving a 12-foot log. The employee was awarded 10% permanent partial disability of the body as a whole, with temporary disability compensation of $5,637.14 and medical aid valued at $24,562.00 already paid by the self-insured employer.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to David Harmon for a low back injury sustained on May 11, 2004, while moving a television at Best Buy. The employee was awarded 30 weeks of permanent partial disability compensation at $230.35 per week, plus medical expenses totaling $17,222.00.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Bryan R. Long for a back injury sustained on August 14, 2004, when he slipped and fell while carrying a 125-pound battery. The claimant was found to be permanently totally disabled and entitled to compensation benefits, with medical expenses of $129,367.41 already paid by the insurer.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Darline Reeks for a low back injury sustained on February 16, 2005, while moving a dresser during housekeeping duties. The employee was awarded 20 weeks of permanent partial disability compensation at $140.01 per week, totaling $2,800.20, with 5% permanent disability rating.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award denying compensation to Allen Alcorn for an alleged occupational back injury from repetitive heavy lifting. The case hinged on whether newly amended workers' compensation notice requirements should be applied retroactively to bar the employee's claim.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for Cheri Allen's neck/shoulder injury sustained on May 14, 2004, while employed at Luther Manor Retirement & Nursing Center and Quality Inn/Hannibal Area Hotel Group. The injury resulted from repetitive motion activities including pushing, pulling, bending, lifting, and cleaning, with permanent disability assessed at 17.5% body as a whole.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Jerri Jackson for a back injury sustained on October 16, 1999, while carrying a 50-pound bag of yeast at a Krispy Kreme facility in St. Louis County. The decision awarded compensation for temporary disability, permanent partial disability (47.5% for low back and 7.5% psychiatric), and approved necessary medical aid totaling $128,278.33.

The Missouri LIRC affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award denying compensation to employee Jack Johnson for an alleged back injury from February 9, 2006. Commissioner Hickey filed a dissenting opinion arguing the employee met the burden of proof that the accident was the prevailing factor in causing his back condition and disability.

The Commission modified the administrative law judge's award regarding past medical expenses in a workers' compensation case, reducing the award from $35,789.24 to $32,697.58. The modification excluded medical expenses lacking supporting documentation in the record while affirming expenses related to Dr. MacMillan's treatment, including an L5-S1 lumbar interbody fusion performed on June 3, 2005.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's decision that the employee's alleged back injury from pulling bags of trash did not arise out of and in the course of employment and therefore was not compensable. No workers' compensation benefits were awarded in this case.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's decision denying workers' compensation benefits to Michael Harris for injuries sustained when his chair broke while seated at his employer's headquarters on October 18, 2004. Despite finding that an accident occurred during employment, the Commission determined the injury was not compensable under Missouri Workers' Compensation law.

The Commission modified the administrative law judge's award of past medical expenses, reducing the amount from $35,789.24 to $32,697.58 by excluding medical bills not supported by evidence in the record. The Commission affirmed that the employee's treatment, including an L5-S1 lumbar interbody fusion, was causally related to the work injury and that the employer/insurer failed to prove the medical expenses were unreasonable.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits to employee Jamey Blackerby for a back injury sustained on August 4, 2005, when a coworker dropped a beam during a lifting operation. The claimant was determined to have permanent and total disability with compensation for unpaid medical expenses and temporary total disability benefits.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Robert Hampson for a work-related back injury to the lumbar spine sustained on June 19, 2002, when he was struck by a pickup truck while assisting a coworker. The employee was awarded $79,060.80 representing 60% permanent partial disability of the body as a whole referable to the lumbar spine.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award finding the employee permanently and totally disabled from a work-related back condition sustained on November 3, 2000. The Commission denied the employee's request for reimbursement of past medical expenses from unauthorized treatment, finding the treatment was not medically necessary to cure and relieve the effects of the work injury.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award denying compensation in this workers' compensation case involving a low back injury from a slip and fall accident on July 12, 2004. Although the injury was found to be compensable and arose out of employment, no permanent disability was determined, resulting in no compensation being awarded despite temporary disability payments already made.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for John R. Wheeler's back injury sustained while lifting a boat hull on August 7, 2001. The claimant was awarded 30 percent permanent partial disability to the body as a whole and temporary total disability compensation of 45 3/7 weeks.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits to Jerri Courtney for a low back injury sustained on September 20, 2005, while performing a four-man patient lift at Skaggs Community Hospital. The employee was awarded $29,910.35 in total compensation including unpaid medical expenses, temporary disability benefits, and permanent partial disability benefits for 15 percent body as a whole disability.