Opinion ID: 2614906
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: the objection to fund's medical evidence was erroneously sustained

Text: At trial Choate articulated his objection to the medical report of Dr. L.Y. as being based on the fact the report did not indicate pulmonary function tests were conducted as to the respiratory injury. It was said to be both a competency and probative value objection. In effect the objection seemed to be the report failed to comply with the AMA Guides because the tests were not conducted. [20] No other articulation of objection was made. In his order the trial tribunal specifically ruled the objection was granted on both probative value and competency grounds. In our view, sustaining the objection on both probative value and competency grounds was erroneous and shows the trial tribunal failed to consider the evidence. We have delineated the distinction between an objection based on competency and one made on grounds of probative value. Whitener v. South Central Solid Waste Authority, 773 P.2d 1248, 1249 f.n. 1 (Okl. 1989). An objection to competency challenges the legal admissibility of a medical report; an objection to probative value challenges whether, once admitted, the report is probative of the elements it seeks to establish. Id. In our view, the objection made here, one sustained by the trial court on both grounds, was not truly to the report's admissibility, but only to its probative value and the articulated ground, as a matter of law, did not rob the report of all probative weight or render it inadmissible, as the trial tribunal apparently ruled. The trial tribunal should not have sustained the objection, but should have considered the report, giving it whatever weight he thought it deserved. [21] At trial Choate's objection seemed to be pulmonary function tests in accordance with the AMA Guides had to be conducted. However, on appeal he only argues if a physician says he has complied with the AMA Guides in his report he must do so completely. We first deal with whether pulmonary function tests were required by either physician. [22] We have ruled in a case involving Fund a claimant with a previously adjudicated disability enjoys a rebuttable presumption the degree of disability has not changed since the last adjudication. Special Indemnity Fund v. Washburn, 722 P.2d 1204, 1208 (Okl. 1986). In other words, in the absence of sufficient evidence to the contrary it is presumed the percentage of permanent disability previously adjudicated by the OWCC has not changed. Id. at 1207-1208. Here both doctors agreed 15% impairment to the body as a whole, the percentage previously awarded against the employer for the respiratory injury, was appropriate. No party, including Choate, challenged this previously adjudicated percentage nor offered contrary evidence. The disagreement of the doctors went solely to whether combination of the two injuries resulted in a material increase in impairment. Accordingly, under Washburn, this amount was entitled to be relied on, not only by the trial tribunal, but the parties' medical experts in their current evaluations on whether combination of the two injuries resulted in a material increase in impairment. To rule as Choate would have us would emasculate use of the presumption approved in Washburn. [23] As noted above, Choate argues on appeal the trial tribunal action in excluding the evidence was proper because Dr. L.Y. stated in his report he used the AMA Guides in his examination and opinion and when a doctor so states his report must completely adhere to the AMA Guides. [24] We can conceive of no rationale requiring complete exclusion of medical evidence on this ground. At most it would go to the credibility of the doctor. Such an apparent inconsistent statement as that contained in the report might merely exhibit some type of oversight in drafting the report. Further, given the fact both doctors agreed on the percentage of impairment for the respiratory injury, which was identical to that previously adjudicated and allowed to be relied on by all parties (and the trial tribunal) we are hard-pressed to conclude exclusion or complete non-consideration of the evidence was required. Thus, the trial tribunal erred in excluding the evidence.