Title: Anderson v. MacKey
Citation: 596 P.2d 253
Docket Number: 12370
State: new-mexico
Issuer: new-mexico Supreme Court
Date: May 16, 1979

596 P.2d 253 (1979) CLIFF ANDERSON and Jill Anderson, d/b/a Nob Hill Restaurant and St. Paul Insurance Company, Petitioners, v. Connie MACKEY, Respondent. No. 12370. Supreme Court of New Mexico. May 16, 1979. Rehearing Denied June 5, 1979. Durrett, Conway, O'Reilly &amp; Jordon, John E. Conway, Alamogordo, for petitioners. *254 Morris D. Stagner, Albuquerque, for respondent. FEDERICI, Justice. Connie Mackey, respondent (plaintiff) was employed as a waitress at petitioners' (defendants') restaurant. Plaintiff fell while at work and allegedly was injured. Plaintiff brought this action for benefits under the Workmen's Compensation Act. At the close of plaintiff's case the trial court granted defendants' motion to dismiss plaintiff's complaint for failure to show that as a medical probability there was a causal connection between plaintiff's injury and her disability. The Court of Appeals reversed, Judge Sutin dissenting, and remanded the case for a new trial. We granted certiorari. The only question presented is whether there was direct testimony that, as a medical probability, plaintiff's psychological disability was a natural and direct result of the accident. Section 52-1-28(B), N.M.S.A. 1978 of the Workmen's Compensation Act relating to compensable claims requires that: The only evidence in the record relating to the causal connection which plaintiff was required to prove was the deposition of Dr. Frank Maldonado: In ruling on defendants' motion, the trial judge said: *255 Further, the doctor stated that he was not trained in psychological diagnosis or psychology. Under those circumstances the doctor was not qualified to state an opinion based upon a medical probability. This Court discussed the applicability of § 52-1-28(B) in Yates v. Matthews, 71 N.M. 451, 453, 379 P.2d 441, 442 (1963): In this case, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to support the trial court's finding, Corzine v. Sears, Roebuck and Company, 80 N.M. 418, 456 P.2d 892 (Ct.App. 1969), cert. denied, 80 N.M. 388, 456 P.2d 221 (1969), there is no showing that as a medical probability plaintiff's psychological disability was caused by the accident. The decision of the Court of Appeals is reversed. The trial court's dismissal of plaintiff's complaint is affirmed. IT IS SO ORDERED. McMANUS, Senior Justice, and EASLEY, J., concur. PAYNE, J., dissenting without opinion. SOSA, Jr., Chief Justice, specially concurring. I concur with the result reached by the Court in this case. It is my opinion that the district court reached the correct result, but for the wrong reason.