Opinion ID: 2202641
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Bottiglieri v. Caldarone

Text: The employee, Salvatore Bottiglieri, suffered an injury that resulted, initially, in total incapacity. The preliminary agreement entered into described employee's injury as hematoma of the right groin and cellulitis of the right ankle. In 1980 and 1981 employee was examined by his own physician, Dr. L.A. Corvese, who observed that petitioner was experiencing only partial disability arising from his knee injury and that he was capable of ordinary, nonhazardous work at ground level. The employee then had vocational rehabilitation expert Chefitz testify that a person of employee's age, education, language facility and work skills was functionally unemployable; that is, no work is available for this man. The commissioner summarized the medical evidence and found that employee was only partially incapacitated at the time he had exhausted his statutory benefits. Since partial incapacity failed to satisfy the statutory requirements of the Second Injury Fund, the petition was dismissed. The sole issue before us is whether partially disabled employees are entitled to benefits from the Second Injury Fund. The employees in both cases below have introduced testimony by a vocational and rehabilitative expert to buttress their contentions that they are functionally incapacitated, even though their physical conditions do not support a finding of total physical incapacity. The employees, relying on Soprano Construction Co. v. Maia, R.I., 431 A.2d 1223, 1224 (1981), submit the argument that total incapacity is not simply a medical determination, but must be related to the employment opportunities in the job market for a person with that particular condition. We have consistently held that the commission, in considering appeals from the trial commissioner, must examine and weigh the evidence, draw its own conclusions and make its own findings of fact in determining whether the evidence supports the findings of the trial commissioner. Moretti v. Turin, Inc., 112 R.I. 220, 308 A.2d 500 (1973). In each case presently before us, the commission found that the employee did not satisfy the statutory requirements set forth in § 28-37-8 to qualify for benefits. Pursuant to this standard, the commission examined and weighed the evidence and concluded that the findings made by the trial commissioners must be sustained. In both cases, the commission found that the employees had not satisfied the statutory requirements set forth in § 28-37-8 to qualify for Second Injury Fund benefits. We do not accept the employees' argument. In Healy v. DeSano, 121 R.I. 325, 397 A.2d 1328 (1979), we stated that a claimant must be totally incapacitated as a direct result of a compensable injury and have exhausted all benefits due him before he can become eligible for Second Injury Fund payments. In construing a statute, we must give words their plain and ordinary meaning. Fiske v. MacGregor, Division of Brunswick, R.I., 464 A.2d 719, 726 (1983). Section 28-37-8 does not provide for benefit payments upon a showing of partial incapacity and an inability to find gainful employment. Nowhere does this statute provide for the payment of compensation when the employee is partially disabled. Moreover, we find no fault with the factual determinations made by the commissioner, and since the evidence supports such findings, we are bound by them. Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. v. Puniello, R.I., 422 A.2d 746, 747 (1980). Absent a determination of total incapacity based upon medical evidence, the employees have no right to Second Injury Fund benefits. The employees' appeals are denied and dismissed, the decrees appealed from are affirmed, and the two cases are remanded to the commission with our decision endorsed thereon.