Case Name: Dawn MAGEE v. ABEK, INC.
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 2006-05-05
Citations: 943 So. 2d 372
Docket Number: No. 2005 CA 0388
Parties: Dawn MAGEE v. ABEK, INC.
Judges: Before: CARTER, C.J., DOWNING and GAIDRY, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 943
Pages: 372–374

Head Matter:
Dawn MAGEE v. ABEK, INC.
No. 2005 CA 0388.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.
May 5, 2006.
Opinion on Rehearing Nov. 8, 2006.
William R. Mustian, III, Metairie, Counsel for PlaintiffAppellant Dawn Magee.
Tammy M. Nick, Slidell, Counsel for Defendant/Appellee Abek, Inc.
Before: CARTER, C.J., DOWNING and GAIDRY, JJ.

Opinion:
DOWNING, J.
This is an appeal from a judgment dismissing the claimant's workers' compensation claim on the basis of res judicata. We affirm the trial court judgment.
A full recitation of the facts can be found in an earlier opinion rendered by this court entitled Magee v. Abek, Inc., 04-2554 (La. App. 1 Cir.4/28/06), 934 So.2d 800. Except for the issue of scarring, (not included in this appeal), the claims asserted by Dawn Magee arise out of the same transaction and occurrence as the earlier claims against Abek, Inc.
Generally, after final judgment, res judi-cata bars re-litigation of any cause of action arising from the same transaction and occurrence. LSA-R.S. 13:4231, LSA-C.C.P. art. 425; Avenue Plaza, L.L.C. v. Falgoust, 96-0173 (La.7/02/96), 676 So.2d 1077, 1079. Workers' compensation judgments however, are treated differently from ordinary judgments because the flexibility of the workers' compensation system would be greatly restricted if the same rigid rules applied. Falgout v. Dealers Truck Equipment Co., 98-3150, pp. 8-9 (La.10/19/99), 748 So.2d 399, 405. In Jackson v. Iberia Parish Gov't, 98-1810 (La.4/16/99), 732 So.2d 517, 520, the Louisiana Supreme Court held where the legislature expressly provides that a workers' compensation award or judgment can be subject to a claim for modification, res judicata does not apply. Falgout, 748 So.2d at 406-406.
We determine that the workers' compensation judge adequately explained how it made its determinations. A thorough review of the record supports its decision. Therefore, we affirm the judgment in accordance with Uniform Court of Appeal Rule 2-16.2A(2). All costs of this appeal are assessed against plaintiff-appellant, Dawn Magee.
AFFIRMED.
GAIDRY, J., dissents as res judicata does not apply Jackson vs Iberia Parish Government (La.4/16/99), 732 So.2d 517.