Filtered Decisions

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 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 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 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.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Paul Bratcher for plantar fasciitis caused by wearing rigid steel-toed shoes on hard concrete floors. The claimant was awarded $4,663.91 in total compensation consisting of unpaid medical expenses and permanent partial disability benefits.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission modified the Administrative Law Judge's award regarding death benefits for dependents of Kevin G. Politte, who died from a work-related accident on May 14, 2002. The Commission affirmed in part and reversed in part the determination of which dependents qualified for workers' compensation death benefits under Missouri law.