Opinion ID: 1201014
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: increase of incapacity

Text: The Wyoming Worker's Compensation Act contemplates three types of disability: temporary total disability, permanent partial disability, and permanent total disability. Section 27-12-402, W.S. 1977, Cum.Supp. 1986; §§ 27-12-403 and 27-12-405, W.S. 1977. In the usual case, temporary total disability will be awarded for a single initial period of recovery and stabilization. See Pacific Power and Light v. Parsons, Wyo., 692 P.2d 226, 228 (1984). Once stabilization occurs, the extent of permanent disability, whether partial or total, should be determined and the employee should receive an appropriate award. Such an award is subject to the concept of finality. Conn v. Ed Wederski Construction Company, Wyo., 668 P.2d 649, 653 (1983). Ideally, an injured employee will not return to a condition of temporary total disability after receiving a permanent partial disability award. But some cases, like the present case, do not follow the ideal pattern. Realizing this, the legislature enacted § 27-12-606, W.S. 1977, which allows an employee to apply for additional benefits of any type or nature  on the ground of increase of incapacity: Where an award of compensation has been made in favor of or on behalf of an employee for any benefits under this act [§§ 27-12-101 through XX-XX-XXX], an application may be made to the clerk of district court by any party within four (4) years from the date of the last award, or at any time during which monthly payments under an award are being made, for additional benefits of any type or nature or for a modification of the amount of the award on the ground of increase or decrease of incapacity due solely to the injury, or upon grounds of mistake or fraud. The Act does not define the term increase of incapacity. We think it is clear, however, that when an employee's condition changes from permanent partial disability to temporary total disability, his incapacity is increased. To the extent that Matter of Abas, supra, 701 P.2d 1153, supports a different conclusion, it is hereby overruled. The State concedes that if the rods had been removed from Mr. Parnell's leg before he received his permanent partial disability award, he would have been entitled to temporary total disability benefits for the period of his recovery following the surgery. In Fuhs v. Swenson, 58 Wyo. 293, 131 P.2d 333, 338 (1942), we held that `the [Worker's] Compensation Law of this State should be liberally and reasonably construed to protect persons suffering casualties in industry and to avoid incongruous results.' (Quoting In re Pope, 54 Wyo. 266, 91 P.2d 58 (1939).) If we were to affirm the district court's ruling, we would be reaching the incongruous result of allowing different amounts of compensation to similarly situated employees based on the nature and timing of their treatment and recovery. Mr. Parnell should not be penalized because his case did not follow the ideal pattern described above. When he became temporarily and totally disabled after the rod removal surgery, Mr. Parnell sustained an increase of incapacity and was, therefore, entitled to additional benefits under § 27-12-606, supra, regardless of whether his permanent partial disability had increased. Our decision in this case does not mean that an employee may be totally disabled and partially disabled at the same time. Such a result would ignore the principle, implied in the Worker's Compensation Act, that total disability is the maximum disability possible under the Act. If an employee is receiving monthly permanent partial disability payments, which is the usual case, and then receives a temporary total disability award, the permanent partial disability payments should be suspended during the period of temporary total disability and resumed when the period of temporary total disability has ended. An employee who has received a lump sum award should be treated similarly, i.e., his permanent partial disability should be deemed to be suspended during the period of temporary total disability.