Opinion ID: 1930702
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Airport Shuttle Bus Accident (July 16, 1992)

Text: Landesberg contests the denial of disability benefits for physical injuries she sustained to her head, neck, and back as a result of a suitcase falling on her as she traveled on an airport shuttle bus while on work related travel. [6] According to her treating physician, Dr. Dennis, as well as Drs. Roselle and Porvaznik, doctors of osteopathy, the July 16, 1992 bus accident aggravated Landesberg's preexisting back and more specifically neck conditions. The hearing examiner found that the physical injuries sustained by Landesberg as a result of the failing suitcase arose out of Landesberg's employment, but denied her claims for disability benefits because the medical evidence in the record indicated that her injuries were resolved as of October 22, 1992, and she suffered no wage loss that would trigger the applicability of the Act until after that date. In reaching his decision, the hearing examiner relied primarily on medical reports submitted by her treating physicians, Drs. Stuart R. Stark and Preston Calvert, both of whom are board-certified neurologists. Dr. Stark concluded that Landesberg did not suffer from any neurologic, neuro-ophthalmologic, medical, or musculoskeletal condition related to the July 16, 1992 accident[,] and Dr. Calvert, who saw Landesberg during September and October of 1992, determined that Landesberg is neuro-ophthalmologically intact, with no limitations on her activities. The hearing examiner also relied in part on a medical report by Dr. Dennis that Landesberg should have returned to work on a part-time, restrictive duty capacity in October, 1996. The examiner, did reject however, the notion that she was only capable of working part-time in a restricted duty capacity because Dr. Dennis failed to explain why Landesberg could not perform her job on a full-time basis. Landesberg argues that the hearing examiner erred in crediting the medical opinions of Drs. Stark and Calvert over the opinions of her expert neuropsychologist, Dr. Jack Spector. [7] Her arguments, however, are unpersuasive primarily because our standard of review does not permit us to substitute our judgment about the quality of the evidence for that of the hearing examiner. Children's Defense Fund, 726 A.2d at 1252. Landesberg also asks us to hold that the hearing examiner erred in relying on Dr. Stark's medical opinions, because she had dismissed him as her treating physician prior to that date. The hearing examiner made a finding that Landesberg chose Dr. Stark as her treating physician, and Dr. Stark referred her to Dr. Calvert, who then became her second treating physician in September of 1992. Here, it is irrelevant whether Landesberg considered Dr. Stark or Dr. Calvert as her treating physician because their medical opinions were consistent. Assuming Landesberg's argument is that Dr. Spector was actually her treating physician, it is without merit, as Landesberg never received approval from her employer or the Office of Workers' Compensation as required by the Act to make Dr. Spector her treating physician. [8] See D.C.Code § 36-307(b)(3); King v. District of Columbia Dep't of Employment Servs., 560 A.2d 1067, 1071 (D.C.1989). Additionally, Landesberg claims that the hearing examiner erred in failing to accord appropriate weight to the fact that Dr. Calvert had referred her to other medical personnel for treatment of the injuries she suffered from the falling suitcase after October 22, 1992. She argues that the hearing examiner abused his discretion by failing to make findings regarding payments for thyroid tests that were performed after the accident. With respect to Landesberg's contention that treatment referrals made by Dr. Calvert were indicative of her continued disability from the accident after the October 22, 1992 date, a letter prepared by Dr. Calvert and included in the record significantly undermines her argument. The letter explicitly states that Landesberg was not referred to other doctors for treatment of the injuries she suffered as a result of the shuttle bus accident. With respect to payment for the thyroid tests, the hearing examiner specifically found that medical responses that were incurred as a result of the July 16, 1992 shuttle bus accident were to be covered by the $22,500 settlement award from her no-fault claim against Hertz Corporation, the owner of the shuttle bus. Finally, with respect to the shuttle bus accident, Landesberg argues that the hearing examiner's failure to address her claim for temporary total disability for her shoulder injury was error even though it was the subject of a stipulation between the parties. While it is true that the hearing examiner failed to consider Landesberg's claim for disability based on her alleged shoulder injury, WMATA argues that the hearing examiner's failure to explicitly address this claim is harmless error. See 4934, Inc. v. District of Columbia Dep't of Employment Servs., 605 A.2d 50 (D.C.1992). WMATA contends that because it voluntarily paid temporary total disability benefits to Landesberg from July 16, 1992 through October 21, 1992, and the hearing examiner found that Landesberg's injuries resolved by October 22, 1992, WMATA would not be accountable to pay any benefits claimed by Landesberg after this date. Because there is substantial evidence in the record supporting the hearing examiner's finding that Landesberg's injuries had resolved by October 22, 1992, and Landesberg does not dispute that she received benefits from WMATA for the period between the date of her injury and the date her injuries resolved, we agree that the hearing examiner's failure to address this issue in his compensation order was harmless.