Opinion ID: 1314354
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: is there substantial competent evidence to support the commission's denial of permanent disability benefits above the 10% permanent partial impairment rating?

Text: The Commission ruled: Though the evidence shows that the Claimant has some increased difficulty in performing his current employment and requires assistance with heavy lifting at times, at least part of this increased difficulty is attributable to the July 19, 1989, incident at home, rather than to the April, 1987, work-related injury. The Claimant's rate of earnings is higher at the present time than it was at the time of his injury. The Claimant has not established any non-medical factors which increase his disability above the permanent physical impairment rate. The Referee therefore concludes that the Claimant does not have a permanent partial disability which exceeds the permanent physical impairment rate of 10% of the whole person. Regarding appellant's impairment rating, the referee found: During his deposition, Dr. Botimer for the first time expressed an opinion concerning an impairment rating for the disc injury at the L4-5 level and surgery which had been performed in November of 1987. He estimates that the Claimant has a 10% impairment of the whole person as a result of that injury. The Defendants do not dispute that impairment rating. . . . . . The Referee finds that the Claimant has a permanent physical impairment of 10% of the whole person as a result of the April 29, 1987, injury for which he is entitled to income benefits. The Claimant has not established that non-medical factors increase the Claimant's permanent partial disability above the impairment rating. The Referee, therefore, finds that the Claimant has a permanent partial disability of 10% of the whole person as a result of the April 29, 1987, injury which includes consideration of the permanent physical impairment and pertinent non-medical factors. The claimant bears the burden of proving disability in excess of his or her impairment rating. Seese v. Ideal of Idaho, Inc., 110 Idaho 32, 34, 714 P.2d 1, 3 (1985). The test for such determination is not whether the claimant is able to work at some employment, but rather whether the physical impairment, taken in conjunction with nonmedical factors, has reduced the claimant's capacity for gainful activity. Seese, 110 Idaho at 34, 714 P.2d at 3. In Horton v. Garrett Freightlines, Inc., 115 Idaho 912, 912-13, 772 P.2d 119, 119-20 (1989) ( Horton II ), this Court addressed whether physical impairments that arose after the work-related injury to the employee (Horton), but which were the result of physical conditions that pre-existed the work-related injury, should be considered by the Commission when making a determination of the degree of Horton's permanent disability. Horton had appealed from the Commission's decision finding him to be permanently partially impaired to the extent to 12% of the whole person and permanently disabled to the extent of 30% of the whole person. This Court held that all physical impairments that were caused by the work-related injury and by all pre-existing conditions should be taken into account when evaluating permanent disability as prescribed in I.C. §§ 72-425 and 72-730. Horton II, 115 Idaho at 917, 772 P.2d at 124. However, we disagreed that liability could be apportioned to the employer where [t]he injury to Horton's right hip did not produce the symptomatology and the disability to Horton's left hip, his shoulders, and his back. These impairments arose independently. They were, as the Commission said, `unrelated.' [3] Horton II, 115 Idaho at 919, 772 P.2d at 126. Monroe's argument as to the consideration of non-medical factors is premised upon his contention that the Commission's finding that his 1989 injury was not a work-related injury was not supported by substantial and competent evidence. We have held that that finding is supported by substantial and competent evidence, and therefore, non-medical factors resulting from that injury need not be considered. Likewise, Monroe's 1989 injury constitutes an independent impairment, unrelated to his 1987 work-related injury. We hold that the Commission properly evaluated Monroe's permanent disability, and that there is substantial and competent evidence to support its denial of awarding disability above impairment. For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the decision of the Commission. Costs to respondents. JOHNSON and TROUT, JJ., and REINHARDT, J., Pro Tem, concur.