Opinion ID: 2110563
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Appeal of Employer and Insurance Carrier.

Text: On their appeal, the employer and insurance carrier challenge the district court's alteration of the date on which the commissioner found that healing-period benefits should terminate. The deputy commissioner had fixed that date as August 11, 1993. The commissioner found that healing-period benefits should terminate on April 13, 1993. The district court overturned the commissioner's ruling on that issue and reinstated that of the deputy. On our review of this issue, we are convinced that the commissioner's finding that April 13 was the date on which claimant reached maximum medical improvement was supported by substantial evidence. Consequently, we reverse the order of the district court concerning the termination of healing-period benefits. We uphold the commissioner's ruling fixing the time of termination as April 13, 1993. Ellingson's permanent partial disability benefits should therefore commence on April 14, 1993. Another issue raised on the cross-appeal is a challenge to the commissioner's finding of a twenty percent industrial disability to the body as a whole that was upheld by the district court. Based on our disposition of Ellingson's appeal, that issue is now moot. We have considered all issues presented. We reverse the order of the district court upholding the commissioner's determination of permanent partial disability and remand that issue to the commissioner. We reverse the district court's order altering the date on which the healing period ended and uphold the finding of the commissioner on that issue. We affirm the district court on all other issues including its remand order, which shall be expanded as provided in Division I(C) of this opinion. Costs on appeal are assessed equally between the parties. AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART; AND REMANDED.