Title: Coburn v. Frank Dodge & Sons

State: vermont

Issuer: Vermont Supreme Court

Document:

Coburn v. Frank Dodge & Sons  (95-475); 165 Vt 529; 687 A.2d 465

[Opinion Filed 30-Aug-1996]

[Motion for Reargument Denied 31-Oct-1996]

       NOTICE:  This opinion is subject to motions for reargument under
  V.R.A.P. 40 as well as formal revision before publication in the Vermont
  Reports.  Readers are requested to notify the Reporter of Decisions,
  Vermont Supreme Court, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05609-0801 of
  any errors in order that corrections may be made before this opinion goes
  to press.


                                 No. 95-475

Roger Coburn                                      Supreme Court

                                                  On Appeal from
    v.                                            Commissioner of Labor &
                                                  Industry

Frank Dodge & Sons and                            May Term, 1996
Travelers Insurance Co.


Mary S. Hooper, Commissioner

Rodney F. Vieux, Johnson, for plaintiff-appellant

Andrew C. Boxer of Kiel & Associates, Springfield, for defendants-appellees


PRESENT:  Allen, C.J., Gibson, Dooley, Morse and Johnson, JJ.


       ALLEN, C.J.  This is a workers' compensation case in which Roger
  Coburn (claimant) appeals a decision of the Commissioner of the Department
  of Labor and Industry awarding him permanent disability compensation,
  medical benefits, and partial attorney's fees.  Claimant argues that the
  Commissioner erred in limiting his recovery and seeks additional
  compensation, benefits, and fees.  We affirm.

       On January 24, 1988, claimant suffered a work-related injury while
  employed by defendant Frank Dodge and Sons, a construction company.  He
  experienced recurring lower-back, neck, and shoulder-blade pain, which he
  treated with an over-the-counter pain medication. On April 13, 1989,
  claimant suffered another work-related injury.  As a result of this second
  injury, he complained of increased neck and upper- and lower-back pain.

       Claimant sought medical treatment on a number of occasions to
  alleviate his neck and back pain.  On March 1, 1990, his treating
  physician, Dr. Binter, performed a bilateral L3-4 laminectomy and
  discectomy, which alleviated his lower-back pain.  On December 31, 1990,

 

  Dr. Binter performed a foraminotomy, which relieved some of his neck and
  upper-back pain. Dr. Binter noted that, although claimant recovered well
  from this surgery, he continued to experience some mid-scapular pain.  She
  therefore recommended physical therapy.

       On July 13, 1992, Dr. Binter placed claimant at "medical end result"
  regarding both his neck and lower-back surgeries.  Medical end result is
  "the point at which a person has reached a substantial plateau in the
  medical recovery process, such that significant further improvement is not
  expected, regardless of treatment."  Vt. Labor and Indus. Dep't Reg., Vt.
  Workers' Comp. and Occupational Disease Rules, Rule 2(h), 3 Code of Vt.
  Rules 24010003-1 (1995). Dr. Binter concluded that claimant had thirty-one
  percent permanent partial impairment to the cervical and lumbar spine.  Two
  other physicians also examined him to determine whether he had reached
  medical end result.  Dr. Phillips opined that claimant had reached medical
  end result with respect to his lower-back injury in October 1991.  Dr. Ford
  examined claimant on October 7, 1992, for defendant Traveler's Insurance
  Company and concluded that he had reached medical end result for both his
  neck and lower-back surgeries.  Dr. Ford concluded that claimant had a
  twenty-nine percent permanent partial impairment to the spine.

       In August 1992, claimant sought chiropractic treatment from Dr.
  Vartanian for his remaining upper-back pain.  Dr. Vartanian treated him on
  a regular basis from August 1992 until March 1993.  Claimant testified that
  this treatment relieved his symptoms to the extent that it improved his
  ability to walk, enabled him to work part time, and enabled him to perform
  simple household chores.  His sleep patterns also improved, and he
  decreased his use of pain medication.  Because claimant's condition
  improved while under his care, Dr. Vartanian disagreed with the earlier
  diagnoses of medical end result.

       Claimant began working part time at an automotive supply store in
  September 1992.  He testified that his pain increased while working for
  this employer because the job required him to spend long hours on his feet
  and to stock merchandise.  He also testified that he experienced difficulty
  dealing with customers and working on the computer.  His weekly work hours
  varied,

 

  but he generally worked thirty hours per week, earning six dollars an hour.

       In June 1993, claimant left the automotive supply store and accepted
  employment as a truck driver with a crane service company.  This employer
  demanded longer hours and frequent overtime.  The increased physical
  demands aggravated claimant's back pain, and he resumed taking pain
  medication.  In the fall of 1993, he left the crane service company because
  he could not withstand the job's physical demands.  He entered a physical
  therapy program at Copley Hospital in November 1993 and was discharged on
  January 5, 1994.

       Claimant sought workers' compensation for the injuries he received
  while employed by Frank Dodge & Sons.  In February 1992, the Commissioner
  ordered Traveler's Insurance Company to pay the amount necessary to allow
  claimant to continue treatment with Dr. Binter. Claimant later filed a
  claim with the Commissioner to recover additional temporary disability
  compensation and medical benefits for the Copley Hospital physical therapy
  program and Dr. Vartanian's care.  The Commissioner concluded that Dr.
  Binter's opinion regarding medical end result was entitled to the greatest
  weight because she was claimant's primary treating physician. Having found
  that medical end result occurred July 9, 1992, the Commissioner concluded
  that claimant was not entitled to temporary disability benefits beyond that
  date.  The Commissioner further concluded that Dr. Vartanian's care was
  reasonable, necessary, and compensable, but somewhat excessive.  The
  Commissioner awarded $1629 in medical benefits for treatment rendered by
  Dr. Vartanian through January 4, 1993, the date by which claimant had
  reached a steady weekly work schedule at the automotive supply store.  The
  Commissioner also awarded $194.05 in costs and $542.95 in attorney's fees. 
  The Commissioner did not award medical benefits for the Copley Hospital
  physical therapy program.

       Claimant argues that the Commissioner's award is inadequate in light
  of her findings. He maintains that he is entitled to: (1) temporary
  disability compensation beyond July 9, 1992, the date found by the
  Commissioner to be medical end result, (2) medical benefits for the Copley
  Hospital physical therapy program and all of Dr. Vartanian's care, and (3)
  full costs and

 

  attorney's fees.

                                I.

       Claimant argues that he is entitled to temporary disability benefits
  beyond July 9, 1992. He contends that the Commissioner's finding of medical
  end result on July 9, 1992, is erroneous because her findings are
  inconsistent.  Specifically, he contends that medical end result is a
  conclusion of law and that this conclusion is erroneous where the
  Commissioner finds that a patient later experienced substantial improvement
  in his condition.  We disagree.

       Under Vermont workers' compensation law, a claimant is entitled to
  temporary disability compensation upon reaching medical end result or
  successfully returning to work.  See Orvis v. Hutchins, 123 Vt. 18, 24,