Case Title: CAGLE FABRICATIN AND STEEL v. Patterson

Citation: 309 Ark. 365, 830 S.W.2d 857

Docket Number: 

State: arkansas

Court: Arkansas Supreme Court

Date: 1992-05-18T00:00:00Z

Document:
830 S.W.2d 857 (1992) 309 Ark. 365 CAGLE FABRICATING AND STEEL, INC., et al., Appellants, v. Roger D. PATTERSON, Appellee. No. 91-322. Supreme Court of Arkansas. May 18, 1992. Wayne Harris, Fort Smith, for appellants. Eldon F. Coffman, Fort Smith, for appellee. HOLT, Chief Justice. This is an appeal from a tie decision of the Arkansas Court of Appeals and its affirmance of the Workers' Compensation Commission's award to the appellee, Roger Patterson, of compensation benefits upon a finding that he had sustained a work-related hernia. Cagle Fabricating & Steel Inc., et al. v. Patterson, 36 Ark.App. 49, 819 S.W.2d 14 (1991). Certiorari was granted under Ark.Sup.Ct.R. 29(6)(c). The appellants, Cagle Fabricating and Steel, Inc., et al. (Cagle), assert that the court of appeals' decision is not supported by substantial evidence and is contrary to law. We agree and reverse and remand. The underlying facts of Mr. Patterson's injury are set out in the court of appeals' opinion as follows: Arkansas Code Ann. § 11-9-523 (1987) addresses compensation for a hernia disability and provides in pertinent part as follows: In this case, the Commission initially held that these criteria had been met and made the following findings of fact: The court of appeals analyzed these findings and determined that all five elements of section 11-9-523(a) had been satisfied; we agree with, and countenance, the court of appeals' analysis of the first four elements in its opinion as follows: As to the fifth element, we agree with the court of appeals that the "Commission was ... in error in its ... statement that `if the diagnosis of a hernia confirms the fact that the claimant needs a physician, it logically follows that any claimant who can prove a work-related hernia has satisfied the fifth requirement.'" See Ayres v. Historic Preservation Associates, supra (citing Osceola Foods, Inc. v. Andrew, 14 Ark. App. 95, 685 S.W.2d 813 (1985)). However, we cannot accept their finding that the fifth element has been shown by the Commission's statement that Patterson had "met his burden of proof under Section 523(a)." The Commission was required to find as facts the basic component elements on which its conclusion was based pursuant to section 11-9-523(a), of which a showing that the physical distress following the occurrence of the hernia was such as to require the attendance of a physician within 72 hours after the occurrence is a necessary component. Subsection 11-9-523(a)(5) means that the claimant must demonstrate that there was a need to consult a doctor within the 72 hour period. In Jones v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 26 Ark. App. 51, 759 S.W.2d 578 (1988), it was noted that it is the duty of the Commission to make findings according to a preponderance of the evidence, and that the right to find the facts carries with it a duty to find the facts. In that case, the Commission stated in its opinion that "[w]e have carefully reviewed the entire record herein and after according the claimant the benefit of liberal construction to which she is entitled, we specifically find that the claimant failed to meet her burden of proof by a preponderance of the credible evidence of record." The court of appeals held that the Commission's decision did not make specific findings that an appellate court could review and reversed and remanded the decision to the Commission. We find that the Commission's language relating to the fifth element in this case is similar to that used in Jones in that it is conclusory and does not detail or analyze the facts upon which it is based. Consequently, we reverse the court of appeals' decision and remand this matter for a new decision based upon a specific finding regarding compliance with subsection 11-9-523(a)(5). Reversed and remanded.