Filtered Decisions

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's decision denying workers' compensation benefits to employee Edmond McNack, finding he failed to prove medical causation that HAART medications caused sarcoidosis. The Commission found Dr. Wasfi's testimony more credible than Dr. Friedlander's opinion, determining the latter's causal link was based on speculation rather than biological plausibility.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits for Charles Kuykendall's occupational disease involving repetitive motion injuries to both upper extremities sustained on March 10, 2000. The employee was awarded permanent partial disability compensation totaling $48,824.40 for injuries to the shoulder, wrist, and multiplicity, plus disfigurement benefits.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award finding that the claimant's low back injury was a compensable occupational disease arising from repetitive lifting, pulling, and pushing of heavy items over 11 years of employment. The employer and insurer are ordered to provide medical treatment for the claimant's back pain and any temporary benefits that become due, with a weekly compensation rate of $426.67 for temporary total disability.

The LIRC affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's decision denying workers' compensation benefits to Arthur Liberty, finding that his alleged low back injury from repetitive job duties as a maintenance worker did not arise out of and in the course of his employment. No compensation was awarded in the case.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Harold Sartin for an occupationally induced respiratory condition (COPD), awarding 7.5% permanent partial disability. A dissenting commissioner argued the award should be modified to increase permanent partial disability to at least 10% based on unimpeached medical expert testimony.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's decision denying workers' compensation benefits to Roger Alford, finding that his alleged occupational disease of the back and knees did not arise out of and in the course of his employment. No benefits were awarded, and the case remains open for potential future proceedings.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission modified the administrative law judge's award regarding workers' compensation benefits for Robert L. Stonecipher's June 7, 2002 workplace injury. The employer's appeal challenged the awards for permanent partial disability, past medical expenses, future medical expenses, and temporary total disability benefits based on claims of excessiveness and lack of medical necessity.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits to employee Alvin Penn for a work-related injury sustained on April 17, 2002. One commissioner dissented in part, arguing that the decision improperly denied past medical expenses related to pain management treatment and future medical care despite the employee achieving maximum medical improvement.

The Missouri LIRC affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award denying compensation in a workers' compensation case involving an alleged work-related injury on August 8, 2001. The employee failed to establish that an undiagnosed preexisting condition (multiple sclerosis) constituted an obstacle to employment sufficient to trigger Second Injury Fund liability.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award denying compensation to Derrick Downing for injuries sustained when a tire blew up in his hands on January 24, 1986. Although the injury was found to be compensable and arose out of employment, the case was settled and no compensation was awarded.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits for Stanley Cain, finding his herniated disc and permanent nerve damage in the low back to be a compensable occupational disease resulting from 25 years of heavy, repetitive physical labor as a machinist. Cain was awarded permanent total disability benefits and unpaid medical expenses of $91,120.76.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's denial of workers' compensation benefits for an employee claiming psychiatric injury due to work-related stress from events on August 31, 2001. The employee failed to prove that any medical condition was causally related to the alleged workplace events, with credible medical evidence supporting that no psychiatric disorder resulted from the work incident.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's decision denying workers' compensation benefits to employee Deborah Debord for an alleged occupational disease affecting her feet. The decision found that the alleged condition did not arise out of and in the course of her employment, despite her job requiring prolonged standing and walking on concrete floors.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for Wanda Crockett's occupational injury to her left wrist and thumb sustained while performing repetitive activities at Ford Motor Company on August 7, 2002. The Commission found the injury compensable under Missouri law with 25 percent permanent disability to the left wrist and approved the Second Injury Fund liability of $5,918.08.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award denying workers' compensation benefits to Jeanette Jones for an alleged psychiatric injury sustained while administering dialysis at Washington University on December 30, 2000. The Commission found that although an accident occurred, it did not arise out of and in the course of employment, making the injury non-compensable under Missouri workers' compensation law.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing workers' compensation for Penny Austin's occupational injury sustained on June 18, 1998 while performing repetitive work duties. The claimant was awarded 25% permanent partial disability benefits with a weekly compensation rate of $257.78, though future medical care and additional temporary total disability compensation were denied.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing $214.75 in unpaid emergency room costs for a work-related seizure suffered by a police officer while waiting to testify in court. The Commission also affirmed the denial of permanent partial disability benefits, finding that the employee sustained no physical injury and returned to full-duty status with no work limitations.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award in a workers' compensation case involving employee William R. Davis and employer J. T. Pitts for an injury sustained on October 31, 2001. The decision addressed whether the employer was entitled to a 15% reduction in compensation under Section 287.120.6(1) RSMo based on the employee's violation of the employer's alcohol policy.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for an ironworker who sustained a repetitive strain injury to his right upper extremity while employed by Vee-Jay Cement Construction Company. The claimant was awarded compensation for temporary total disability, permanent partial disability to the elbow and wrist, and disfigurement.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for David Garrett's occupational disease injuries to both upper extremities sustained while performing repetitive lifting and stacking work duties at Earthgrains Company. The claimant was awarded 30% permanent partial disability to the body as a whole, with the claim against co-employer Micro Innovations denied.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's denial of workers' compensation benefits for Ann Dudley, finding that her alleged injury from work stress on January 2, 2004 did not constitute a compensable accident or occupational disease under Missouri law. No compensation was awarded as the injury was determined not to have arisen out of and in the course of employment.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's decision denying workers' compensation benefits to James Brown for a right upper extremity injury allegedly caused by repetitive use on April 16, 2003. Although the injury arose out of and in the course of employment, it was found not to be compensable under Chapter 287 of Missouri law.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of 15 weeks temporary total disability and 160 weeks permanent partial disability, rejecting the employee's claim for permanent total disability benefits. The Commission found the employee failed to prove that her psychiatric condition (somatoform disorder) was directly and proximately caused by the work-related accident of December 13, 1996.

The LIRC modified the administrative law judge's award to properly classify it as a temporary or partial award rather than a final award, as unresolved issues remained regarding permanent disability from the employee's right wrist condition. The proceedings were kept open for further proceedings and a final award, with the left wrist occupational disease compensability claim denied pending additional review.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for an occupational disease claim. The employee, who loaded, unloaded, and drove trucks carrying heavy construction equipment from 1984 through December 1, 2001, suffered injuries to bilateral knees, back, and body as a whole that arose out of and in the course of employment.