Opinion ID: 1348729
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: issues

Text: Employee raises the following issues: 1. Are earnings from a temporary job to be considered in calculating worker's compensation benefits for a temporary partial disability pursuant to SDCL 62-4-5? The Department held in the affirmative and circuit court held in the negative. 2. Are wage concessions under a collective bargaining agreement occurring after an injury to be considered in calculating worker's compensation benefits for a temporary partial disability pursuant to SDCL 62-4-5? The Department held in the negative and circuit court held in the affirmative. 3. Are earnings from a temporary job to be considered as a measure of lost earning capacity in calculating worker's compensation benefits for a permanent partial disability pursuant to SDCL 62-4-6? The Department held in the affirmative and circuit court held in the negative. Employers, by their notice of review, raise the following issues: 4. Did Employee meet his burden of proof that his back injury arose out of his employment? Circuit court affirmed Department's conclusion that he did. 5. Did the Department err in refusing to consider evidence that Employee received sick leave benefits from Morrell? Circuit court held that the Department's exclusion of this evidence was correct. 6. Did Employee meet his burden of proof that he was entitled to permanent partial disability benefits based upon a rating of 40 percent when there is no expert testimony to support a rating over 15 percent? Circuit court remanded this issue to the Department with instructions that Department not consider Employee's temporary job with Safety Kleen. Circuit court, however, refused to hold that Employee had not established his entitlement to permanent partial disability benefits beyond the 15 percent rating given by Employee's treating physician. Circuit court also refused to hold that expert testimony was necessary to support a rating which is greater than a person's medical anatomical impairment rating.