Opinion ID: 1434400
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: computation of benefits

Text: ISIF asserts that the Commission erred in its computation of benefits. Although we are reversing and remanding to the Commission for a reapportionment of the nonmedical factors ( see Part I.B., supra ), such reapportionment will not change the total amount of benefits due to claimant, but will only redistribute the percentages of liability for the benefits between the employer/surety and ISIF. Therefore, we must address the issues raised by ISIF as to the computation of the total amount of benefits to which Claimant Nielson is entitled. In computing the benefits due to claimant, the Commission found that claimant was totally and permanently disabled as of January 19, 1982, the date of the hearing. Furthermore, the Commission found that claimant was entitled to benefits at the rate of 90% of the current average weekly state wage during 1982. The Commission then acknowledged that the employer's surety paid benefits to claimant commencing October 7, 1980, through March 15, 1982. Therefore, for the period between January 19, 1982, and March 15, 1982, the Commission allowed ISIF a set-off of the amount paid by the employer's surety against the amount which ISIF was required to pay. ISIF alleges that the Commission made two errors in computing these benefits. Initially, ISIF argues that the 75 weeks of permanent partial disability benefits paid by the employer's surety should have commenced on January 19, 1982, the date the Commission found that claimant was totally and permanently disabled. According to ISIF, all of the employer's payments prior to that date constituted temporary total disability payments, and thus, the employer's surety should be required to pay 75 weeks of permanent partial disability beginning of January 19, 1982. However, what ISIF has failed to realize is that there was never any dispute as to the permanent nature of claimant's disability prior to January 19, 1982, and that only the extent of the claimant's permanent disability had not been determined and was in dispute. (Emphasis added.) Therefore, the employer's payments which commenced on October 7, 1980, and extended through March 15, 1982, were in fact permanent partial disability benefits and not temporary total disability benefits. Consequently, the Commission's computation of benefits in this regard was correct. ISIF also contends that the Commission was in error in awarding claimant benefits at the rate of 90% of the current average weekly state wage. ISIF contends that under I.C. § 72-408, claimant is entitled only to 60% of the currently applicable average weekly state wage. However, a thorough reading of I.C. §§ 72-408 and 72-409 reveals that the Commission was not in error. [2] Pursuant to I.C. § 72-408(1), prior to its amendment in 1982, Claimant Nielson was entitled to benefits equal to 60% of his average weekly wage for a period not exceeding fifty-two weeks. However, I.C. § 72-409(1) instructs that the benefits provided for in I.C. § 72-408(1) are subject to a maximum of 90% of the currently applicable average weekly state wage. In this case, 60% of Claimant Nielson's average weekly wage was in excess of 90% of the currently applicable average weekly state wage. Therefore, Claimant Nielson was only entitled to benefits in the amount of 90% of the currently applicable average weekly state wage, which is in fact what the Commission determined. Consequently, the Commission's computation of benefits in this regard was correct. Therefore, we affirm the Commission's computation of the total amount of benefits to which Claimant Nielson is entitled.