Filtered Decisions

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of permanent and total disability benefits to the employee for a right foot injury sustained on June 5, 2009, while employed at Paris Ready Mix and Precast. The employee was awarded ongoing permanent and total disability payments beginning January 15, 2010, totaling $106,914.34 plus future PTD payments subject to modification and review.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits to James Morris for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident on January 3, 2007, while traveling to a company store in Lebanon, Missouri. The claimant was found to have sustained permanent partial disability affecting multiple body parts, with the injury arising out of and in the course of employment.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for James Morris, who sustained injuries to his lumbar spine and right knee in an accident on January 14, 2007. The Commission awarded permanent partial disability compensation totaling $25,689.30, including benefits for lumbar spine and right knee injuries combined with preexisting permanent disabilities.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for Larry Thilmony's occupational injury to his left shoulder and left hip sustained on January 16, 2007, at Schwan's Foods. The Second Injury Fund was found liable for permanent partial disability compensation of $9,112.51 based on 6.05% body as a whole impairment and 24.2 weeks of benefits.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation to Paul Brown for heat exhaustion injuries sustained while working as a general manager at a Domino's Pizza location on July 8, 2012. The claimant was awarded $44,707.90 in compensation for past medical expenses and 35 weeks of permanent partial disability benefits representing 8.75% of the body as a whole.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Edward Palmer for a knee and back injury sustained on August 19, 2011, when he fell on his left knee while walking out of a fire scene. Palmer was awarded permanent total disability benefits of $811.73 weekly for life, along with ongoing medical care coverage.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's temporary or partial award of workers' compensation benefits for an employee who slipped on a ramp and twisted his left knee while unloading cars. The Commission found the award was supported by competent and substantial evidence and made in accordance with Missouri Workers' Compensation Law.

The Missouri LIRC affirmed the administrative law judge's Final Award on Medical Fee Dispute requiring the employer/insurer to pay $5,600.00 to health care provider Elliott Curran for medical services provided to employee Trampas Crain. The decision corrected three clerical errors in the original award but upheld its findings and conclusions regarding authorization and medical necessity of the disputed services.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award finding that the employee contracted compensable bilateral plantar fasciitis as an occupational disease from working on concrete floors. The employer was ordered to provide necessary medical treatment and pay temporary total disability compensation of $15,012.71.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing workers' compensation benefits for Robert Kant's injuries to his low back and left knee sustained on February 17, 2006, when he tripped over a wire placed across a doorway. The employee was determined to have permanent total disability with the Second Injury Fund liable for ongoing weekly benefits.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award denying workers' compensation benefits to employee Gracie Stevenson for a high blood pressure condition that occurred while digging at work on June 15, 2005. The Commission found no compensable injury or occupational disease under Missouri law despite confirming an accident occurred and the claim was timely filed.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing compensation for a worker's neck injury sustained on August 15, 2006, while straining with a cheater wrench to change a frozen propane valve. The Commission awarded past medical expenses from the employer, finding that the employee's need for medical treatment flowed from the work-related accident, despite determining that no permanent disability resulted from the temporary increase in neck pain.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Gracie Stevenson for a cervical spine injury sustained on June 18, 2004 when she tripped on debris while standing in a pickup truck bed. The claimant was awarded 40% permanent partial disability of the body as a whole, totaling $55,528.00 in compensation.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of permanent total disability benefits to Linda Head for a left knee injury sustained when she slipped and fell on ice while leaving a hospital after a work meeting on February 7, 2003. The employer was ordered to pay weekly permanent total disability benefits of $641.06 per week for the claimant's lifetime and provide future medical benefits related to the work-related injury.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award denying compensation in a workers' compensation case involving an employee who fell on ice melt on January 31, 2008. Although the injury was found to be compensable and work-related, no benefits were awarded and the claim against the employer was denied in full.

The Supreme Court of Missouri reversed the Commission's initial denial, and the Commission issued this final award allowing workers' compensation benefits for a corrections officer who suffered a hypertensive crisis after performing an inmate takedown on August 12, 2011. The employee's sole claim was for unpaid past medical expenses related to the hypertensive crisis hospitalization, with no claim for permanent partial disability.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to Doris Hazelrigg for injuries sustained when she fell from a ladder while retrieving shoes at her workplace on March 2, 2013. The Second Injury Fund was liable for 9.8 weeks of permanent partial disability compensation at $360.00 per week, totaling $3,528.00, for thoracic and lumbar spine and rib fractures representing 16.5% permanent disability.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits for Darrell Anderson's work-related right shoulder injury sustained on April 8, 2010, while removing a transmission from a truck. The employee was awarded 25% permanent partial disability benefits totaling $6,936.71 through the Second Injury Fund.

The Missouri LIRC affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing compensation and future medical treatment for Billy Davis's work injury from November 26, 2011. The Commission found that future medical care is appropriate because the claimant need only prove that treatment flows from the work injury, and there is a reasonable probability of future medical needs based on the employee's increased medication use and medical expert recommendations for additional procedures.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's denial of workers' compensation benefits for an employee's claimed low back occupational disease allegedly caused by prolonged sitting requirements. The Commission found the employee's testimony lacked credibility regarding work conditions and that his medical experts' opinions were unpersuasive due to reliance on incorrect work history information and omitted medical records.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award of workers' compensation benefits to James Fonville for injuries sustained on July 30, 2010 while restraining unruly clients at Fulton State Hospital. The employee was awarded permanent total disability benefits of $366.60 per week for life, along with medical benefits and reimbursements for related expenses.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing workers' compensation to employee Judith Randazzo for a work injury. The Commission supplemented the award to clarify that future medical treatment is not limited to medications only, but includes all treatments reasonably required to cure and relieve the effects of the work injury.

The Labor and Industrial Relations Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award of permanent and total disability benefits to employee Adam Brumble for a compensable low back injury sustained on December 6, 2012, while employed by the Missouri Department of Corrections. The award includes past temporary disability compensation, medical treatment costs, and future medical care with benefits beginning November 12, 2013.

The Commission affirmed the administrative law judge's award allowing workers' compensation for Daniel Payton's left shoulder injury sustained on March 10, 2014, while lifting a soccer goal at his school district employer. The employee was determined to have permanent total disability resulting from the injury, with the insurer liable for unpaid medical expenses and ongoing compensation.

The Commission affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's award allowing permanent total disability compensation to employee Richard Gattenby, finding the Second Injury Fund liable for benefits. The decision addressed whether Gattenby's preexisting disability from a 1977 work-related motorcycle accident constituted a hindrance and obstacle to his employment in the plumbing trade.