Opinion ID: 1414232
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: isif was liable for payment of income benefits to garcia even while garcia was employed.

Text: ISIF asserts that it owed no obligation for payments of any weekly benefits to Garcia from the time she resumed her employment with Simplot in 1982 until that employment terminated in 1985. This position is predicated on ISIF's interpretation of I.C. § 72-408 as providing income benefits that are payable to a disabled employee only so long as the employee is not receiving income from work that exceeds the maximum amounts allowable under the statute. We disagree. The Commission determined that Garcia's condition became medically stable in September of 1982, when she returned to employment with Simplot, and that she was thereafter totally permanently disabled. ISIF has not appealed this decision. What ISIF has appealed is denial by the Commission of any consideration of Garcia's three-year gainful employment in calculating the obligation of ISIF under I.C. § 72-408. This statute provides income benefits in cases of total and permanent disability. Apparently the reason for ISIF's appeal on this issue is the decision of the Commission that Simplot is entitled to a credit for the amount of income benefits paid to Garcia during this three-year period. The income benefits that Simplot paid to Garcia during the three years of Garcia's employment from 1982 to 1985 were part of Simplot's obligation to Garcia pursuant to I.C. § 72-428 for permanent partial disability. Simplot's obligation was to make these payments for 430.55 weeks. The Commission ruled that ISIF was responsible for paying the difference between the income benefits due under I.C. § 72-408 and the income benefits paid by Simplot after Garcia returned to work in 1982. Once Garcia was determined to be totally permanently disabled, the fact that she was able to find some employment that would provide her with income would not affect her right to receive the compensation to which she was entitled because of her disability. The liabilities of Simplot and ISIF for the benefits provided under I.C. §§ 72-408 and 72-428 were established by the determination of total permanent disability and the apportionment of the liability for this disability between them. Garcia's earnings thereafter did not diminish her right to those income benefits.