Filtered Decisions

The Commission modified the administrative law judge's award, reversing the finding that the employee attained maximum medical improvement due to lack of competent and substantial medical evidence supporting this conclusion. The Commission set aside the permanent partial disability finding of 2.5% as premature, since it was contingent on a maximum medical improvement determination that was not supported by the record.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation to Jesse Bunch for a right knee injury sustained on June 2, 1999, while exiting a tractor trailer at Yellow Freight System. The employee was awarded permanent partial disability compensation of 37.4625 weeks from the Second Injury Fund, with 30% permanent disability to the right knee.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's decision denying workers' compensation benefits to Ralph Scott for an alleged right knee injury claimed to result from prolonged walking and standing during employment. The Commission found that the injury did not arise out of and in the course of employment under Missouri workers' compensation law.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for DeAndre Collins, who sustained a contused right knee injury on October 22, 1998, while employed by United Parcel Service, Inc. The claimant was awarded 25% permanent partial disability benefits for the right knee injury, with temporary disability compensation and medical aid already paid by the insurer.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Robert Grothaus for a knee injury sustained on September 13, 2000. The Commission found the award was supported by competent and substantial evidence and made in accordance with the Missouri Workers' Compensation Act.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits to Linda Stockman for a right knee injury sustained on October 11, 2002, when she slipped and fell down stairs at Ford Motor Company's Claycomo facility. The claimant was awarded 50 percent permanent partial disability benefits totaling $58,052.30, plus lifetime medical treatment for the right knee.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Margaret Sisk for a left knee injury sustained on November 16, 1999, when she fell and twisted her knee while walking up steps at work. The claimant was awarded compensation for 25% permanent partial disability of the left knee, with medical aid and temporary disability benefits previously paid.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's decision denying workers' compensation benefits to Ronald Bryant for a torn medial meniscus injury claimed to have occurred on May 1, 2004, finding that the employee failed to meet his burden of proving medical causation. The dissenting opinion argued the decision was in error because the mechanism of injury described by the employee and corroborated by three workplace witnesses could have caused the tear, despite the employer's expert's inability to state with reasonable medical certainty due to pre-existing chronic knee problems.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Cynthia Rogers for a left knee injury sustained on January 4, 2003, at her workplace in St. Louis County. The award includes temporary total disability benefits, permanent partial disability benefits, permanent total disability benefits, and necessary medical aid totaling over $43,000, with the Second Injury Fund liable for a portion of the permanent disability and lifetime benefits.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Sandra J. Pruett for a left knee injury sustained on April 13, 1999, while employed by Bleigh Construction Company. The Commission approved permanent total disability benefits beginning February 27, 2004, along with medical expenses and temporary disability compensation previously paid.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to David Busch for a right knee injury sustained on January 18, 2002, while closing his employer's shop. The Commission approved a 45% permanent partial disability award along with medical expenses and temporary disability compensation.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits for James V. Aulbach's work-related right knee injury sustained on October 23, 1998, while installing channel iron into concrete floors. The employee was awarded 27.5% permanent partial disability benefits, with the Second Injury Fund providing permanent total disability benefits of $267.94 weekly differential for 44 weeks and thereafter $562.67 for the claimant's lifetime.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Jeff Meacheam for a left knee injury sustained on February 17, 1992, when a boat was pushed into his knee while he was moving another boat out of the way of woodworking activities. The employee was awarded permanent total disability benefits and temporary disability compensation of $27,558.42, with necessary medical aid valued at $159,066.09.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to James Bubash for a knee injury sustained on April 21, 2003, while jumping off a belt loader at American Airlines in St. Louis City. The claimant was awarded 52.8 weeks of permanent partial disability compensation totaling $18,324.24, representing 33% permanent partial disability referable to the right knee.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award denying workers' compensation benefits to employee Lawana F. Rowland for a left knee injury sustained on February 5, 2002 at Presbyterian Children Services. Although the Commission found the injury arose out of and in the course of employment, no compensation was awarded due to lack of permanent disability or other compensable consequences.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits for Kelvin Dudley's work-related left knee injury sustained on March 14, 2001 at Garco Wine Company. The employee was awarded 4 weeks of permanent partial disability compensation totaling $1,189.48 for a 2.5% permanent partial disability rating of the left knee.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award, finding that the employee sustained compensable injuries to his right ankle and knee from a work-related fall on July 26, 2000. The decision awards temporary or partial benefits with proceedings kept open for a final award.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission modified the administrative law judge's March 31, 2005 award, correcting procedural errors including the date of injury (July 31, 2000) and first treatment date (July 31, 2000 rather than August 1, 2005). The Commission affirmed the allowance of attorney's fees, though a dissenting opinion argued for compensation of knee injuries claimed by the employee.