Title: Schreffler v. WCAB (Kocher Coal Co.) (Concurring Opinion)
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 104 MAP 2000
State: Pennsylvania
Issuer: Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Date: January 22, 2002

[J-60-2001] IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA MIDDLE DISTRICT TERRY SCHREFFLER, v. WORKERS' COMPENSATION APPEAL BOARD (KOCHER COAL COMPANY), APPEAL OF: KOCHER COAL COMPANY : : : : : : : : : : : : No. 104 MAP 2000 Appeal from the Order of the Commonwealth Court dated January 28, 2000, at No. 3265 C.D.1998, reversing the order of the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board dated November 13, 1998, at No. A96-3767 745 A.2d 697 (Pa. Cmwlth. Ct. 2000) ARGUED: April 30, 2001 CONCURRING OPINION MR. CHIEF JUSTICE ZAPPALA DECIDED: January 18, 2002 I join the Opinion Announcing the Judgment of the Court. I write separately, however, to note that it may prove difficult for a claimant to adduce direct evidence that the employer intended the payments for medical expenses to be “payments of compensation” for purposes of Section 315. Thus, I merely emphasize, as recognized in footnote 3 on page 9 of the Opinion Announcing the Judgment of the court, that in some cases, the evaluation of the employer’s intent may have to be determined from what a “reasonable person” would deduce from the evidence. In summarizing its holding, the author goes on to state that “[t]he claimant cannot meet his or her burden by showing that payments of expenses have been made, but must adduce additional evidence as to the employer’s intent in making the payments.” Slip Op. at 11 (emphasis added). This latter statement should not be interpreted as inconsistent with the former for as to do so may render the claimant’s burden an impossible one to overcome.