Case Name: STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS, INC., Appellant, v. James P. WORTHEN, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1985-02-11
Citations: 463 So. 2d 502
Docket Number: No. AZ-4
Parties: STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS, INC., Appellant, v. James P. WORTHEN, Appellee.
Judges: BOOTH, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 463
Pages: 502–510

Head Matter:
STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS, INC., Appellant, v. James P. WORTHEN, Appellee.
No. AZ-4.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
Feb. 11, 1985.
Rehearing Denied March 6, 1985.
Richard H. Weisberg and Robert A. Donahue of Cooper, Rissman & Weisberg, Orlando, for appellant.
Richard I. Cervelli, Naples, for appellee.

Opinion:
THOMPSON, Judge.
This is an appeal from an order finding the carrier at the time of the two prior accidents in 1980 liable for temporary total disability (TTD) benefits and past and future remedial treatment resulting from a subsequent accident occurring in 1983 when it was no longer the carrier. We reverse.
Claimant twisted his left leg while working on some scaffolding on October 24, 1980. He did not report this accident. On the evening of the same date, claimant injured his left knee while playing in an employer sponsored softball game. He was examined after the second accident by Dr. Peterson who found that the claimant had sustained an acute tear of the anterior cruciate ligament with a mild peripheral tear of the anterior medial semilunar cartilage. Claimant missed only one day of work from the October 1980 accidents and the carrier at the time, Hewitt, Coleman and Associates, Inc., paid for all medical bills resulting from the October 1980 accidents.
On December 8, 1980 claimant slipped on an oily spot at work and fell on his left knee. He was again treated by Dr. Peterson who drained the fluid out of his knee and diagnosed the injury as acute hemar-throsis secondary to a hyperflexion strain.
On July 18, 1983 the claimant again sustained an injury to his left knee while playing in an employer sponsored softball game. He was again treated by Dr. Peterson who performed arthroscopic surgery on the left knee on July 22, 1983, reconstructive surgery on the same knee on August 29, 1983 and further surgery on December 28, 1983 for the removal of screws that had been placed in the knee for internal fixation.
On October 31, 1983 claimant filed a claim for TTD benefits retroactive to July 18,1983, further remedial care, costs, interest, penalties and attorney's fees as a result of the accident occurring on July 18, 1983 or the accidents occurring in October 1980. While this claim was pending, the claimant and his attorney reached an agreement with Johns Eastern Company, Inc., the carrier at the time of the July 18, 1983 accident, for a washout settlement pursuant to § 440.20(12)(b), Fla.Stat. (1983). The agreement released the employer and Johns Eastern from any further liability for medical and compensation benefits as a result of the July 18, 1983 accident.
The uncontroverted medical testimony establishes that the earlier injuries caused damage to the claimant's knee which predisposed him to have the July 18, 1983 injury and the resulting damage to his knee. Dr. Peterson testified that the claimant was "living on kind of borrowed time . and he probably never would have had [the injury] in July of 1983 had he not had the underlying pathology" from the earlier accidents. However, the record also established that the claimant lost only one day from work as a result of the October 1980 accidents and during the three-year period before July 18, 1983 the claimant missed only a few days of work because of his injuries and received his full wages during that period of time. The record reflects that all medical bills for treatment prior to the July 18, 1983 accident have been paid. Claimant was working regularly prior to the July 18, 1983 accident and was playing softball at the time of his July 18, 1983 injury. At the time of the subsequent accident and injury the claimant was able to work and did not require any medical treatment.
Although the July 18, 1983 accident might not have occurred if the claimant had not had the pre-existing condition resulting from the prior accident, any temporary disability benefits and remedial medical treatment occasioned by the 1983 accident are the responsibility of the carrier at the time of that second accident. See Hayward Trucking, Inc. v. Aetna Insurance Company, 445 So.2d 385 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984). There are several earlier cases that permitted the apportionment of medical benefits. See Neff v. Britto, 404 So.2d 416 (Fla. 1st DCA 1981); Bell Rentals and Sales v. Harvey, 405 So.2d 289 (Fla. 1st DCA 1981). However, all of these cases involved accidents that occurred prior to August 1, 1979, the effective date of a substantial amendment to § 440.15(5), Fla. Stat. Prior to the 1979 amendment, § 440.-15(5) provided:
(5) SUBSEQUENT INJURY.—
(a) If any employee receives any injury for which compensation is payable while he is still receiving or entitled to receive compensation for a previous injury in the employ of the same employer, he shall not at the same time be entitled to compensation for both injuries, unless the latter injury be a permanent injury such as specified in this section; but he shall be entitled to compensation for that injury and from the time of that injury which will cover the longest period and the largest amount payable under this chapter.
(b) If any employee receives a permanent injury as specified in this section, after having previously sustained another permanent injury in the employ of the same employer, he shall be entitled to compensation for both injuries, but the total compensation shall be paid by extending the period and not by increasing the amount of weekly compensation. When the previous and subsequent injuries received in the same employment result in permanent total disability, compensation shall be payable for permanent total disability.
(c)The fact that an employee has suffered previous disability, impairment, or disease or received compensation therefor shall not preclude him from benefits for a later injury nor preclude benefits for death resulting therefrom; but in determining compensation for the later injury or death his average weekly wages shall be such sum as will represent his earning capacity at the time of the later injury. However, if an employee who has received compensation under this chapter for a previous permanent partial disability, impairment, or disease incurs a subsequent permanent partial disability from injury or occupational disease arising out of and in the course of his employment which merges with the preexisting permanent partial disability, impairment, or disease to cause a permanent partial disability that is greater than that which would have resulted from the subsequent injury or occupational disease alone, the compensation received for the previous permanent partial disability, impairment, or disease shall be deducted from the compensation payable for the subsequent permanent partial disability. However, in no event shall the compensation for the subsequent permanent partial disability be less than that allowed for the degree of disability that would have resulted from the subsequent injury or occupational disease if the previous disability had not existed.
In 1979, § 440.15(5) was completely rewritten to provide:
(5) SUBSEQUENT INJURY.—
(a) The fact that an employee has suffered previous disability, impairment, anomaly, or disease, or received compensation therefor, shall not preclude him from benefits for a subsequent injury nor preclude benefits for death resulting therefrom. Compensation for temporary disability, medical benefits, and wage-loss benefits shall not be subject to apportionment.
(b) If a compensable permanent impairment, or any portion thereof, is a result of aggravation or acceleration of a preexisting condition, or is the result of merger with a preexisting impairment, an employee eligible to receive impairment benefits under paragraph (3)(a) shall receive such benefits for the total impairment found to result, excluding the degree of impairment existing at the time of the subject accident or injury or which would have existed by the time of the impairment rating without the intervention of the compensable accident or injury. The degree of permanent impairment attributable to the accident or injury shall be compensated in accordance with paragraph (3)(a). As used in this paragraph, "merger" means the combining of a preexisting permanent impairment with a subsequent compensable permanent impairment which, when the effects of both are considered together, result in a permanent impairment rating which is greater than the sum of the two permanent impairments ratings when each impairment is considered individually-
(c) If an employee receiving wage-loss benefits suffers a subsequent injury causing temporary disability, both wage-loss benefits and temporary disability benefits shall be payable during the duration of temporary disability; however, the total benefits payable shall not exceed the maximum compensation rate in effect for temporary disability at the time of the subsequent injury. Any reduction in benefits due to such limit shall be applied first to the wage-loss benefits payable as a result of the prior injury.
(d) If an employee receiving wage-loss benefits suffers a subsequent injury causing an additional compensable wage loss, benefits for each wage loss shall be payable; however, the total wage-loss benefits payable shall not exceed the maximum compensation rate in effect for permanent disability at the time of the subsequent injury. Any reduction in wage-loss benefits due to such limitation shall be applied first to the benefits payable as a result of the prior injury. (Emphasis supplied).
Although there was a provision for apportionment of permanent impairment in the pre-1979 law, there was no provision for or prohibition against apportionment of compensation for temporary disability and medical benefits. The 1979 amendment specifically prohibited apportionment of compensation for temporary disability and medical benefits resulting from a subsequent injury. Unlike Neff, Bell Rentals, and other cases allowing apportionment of medical benefits, in Hayward and in this case the compensable accidents occurred subsequent to August 1, 1979 and the 1979 law prohibiting apportionment of temporary disability and remedial medical benefits applies.
While 440.42(3) grants the deputy commissioner (deputy) jurisdiction to adjudicate controversies between carriers as to responsibility for payment of benefits, the deputy must follow the law in making his decision. If the clear and unambiguous language of § 440.15(5) (1979) is to be given any force and effect, the deputy is prohibited from apportioning any compensation for temporary disability or medical benefits payable after the subsequent accident.
The fact that the claimant has released the carrier responsible for the compensation and medical benefits claimed is not a basis for holding the carrier on the prior accidents liable for these benefits. If so, a claimant could receive a windfall by reaching a washout settlement with the carrier responsible for the workers' compensation benefits due as a result of a subsequent accident and proceed successfully against a carrier at the time of a prior compensable accident.
In view of the reversal of the benefits awarded, we also reverse the attorney's fee awarded. Reversed and remanded with instructions to dismiss the claim as to the employer and the carrier Hewitt, Coleman & Associates, Inc.
BOOTH, J., concurs.
ERVIN, C.J., dissents.