Case Name: Patricia WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT SECURITY and Division of Risk Management, Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2002-03-25
Citations: 813 So. 2d 193
Docket Number: No. 1D01-1568
Parties: Patricia WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT SECURITY and Division of Risk Management, Appellees.
Judges: ERVIN and LEWIS, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 813
Pages: 193–194

Head Matter:
Patricia WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT SECURITY and Division of Risk Management, Appellees.
No. 1D01-1568.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
March 25, 2002.
James A. Kole of Solomon, Proctor & Kole, Tallahassee, for Appellant.
Mary E. Cruiekshank and Christopher J. DuBois of DuBois & Cruiekshank, Tallahassee, for Appellees.

Opinion:
BARFIELD, J.
AFFIRMED. The judge of compensation claims (JCC) correctly construed section 440.134(6)(c)9, Florida Statutes, which requires a managed care plan to include a process allowing an injured employee to obtain one second opinion in the same specialty, but does not afford the injured employee an automatic right to a second opinion evaluation. We find that competent substantial evidence supports the JCC's findings that the claimant failed to present any evidence suggesting an additional orthopedic evaluation would be reasonable in these circumstances, and that her mere dissatisfaction with her treating orthopedic physician's "attitude" was insufficient to support her claim for a second opinion. We note that the claimant had previously obtained a change in orthopedic physicians under section 440.134(10)(c), Florida Statutes.
ERVIN and LEWIS, JJ., concur.