Opinion ID: 1928422
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Impairment Rating

Text: Christensen alleges the deputy commissioner's decision declining to find a greater degree of impairment was unsupported by substantial evidence in the record. She bases this argument partly on her presentation of lay witnesses who testified in their opinion she was injured to a much greater degree than what the physicians had diagnosed. Christensen is correct in her argument the commissioner is bound to consider this additional testimony. See Terwilliger v. Snap-On Tools Corp., 529 N.W.2d 267, 273 (Iowa 1995); Miller v. Lauridsen Foods, Inc., 525 N.W.2d 417, 421 (Iowa 1994). On appeal by Christensen to the industrial commissioner, it was determined that claimant's injury included both the crush injury to the right forearm as well as right lateral epicondylitis. As such, the commissioner held that Christensen's entitlement to medical benefits extends to both conditions. The district court agreed and noted the commissioner failed to make any specific findings with respect to loss of function of claimant's right elbow. For this reason, remand was ordered so the commissioner may either reassess the functional capacity, considering both injuries, or clarify the ruling. We affirm the district court on this issue and remand to the commissioner. In considering the compensation due to these injuries, the commissioner on remand, must consider all evidence, both medical and nonmedical. Lay witness testimony is both relevant and material upon the cause and extent of injury. Miller, 525 N.W.2d at 421. In this regard the deputy commissioner stated Claimant's testimony and the lay testimony presented to show that claimant's loss of use of her right arm exceeds the assessment made by Dr. DeBartolo and Dr. Donovan is rejected and the physicians' rating is accepted as more consistent with the documentary evidence presented. The district court found the functional capacity evaluation used by the medical experts was limited in terms of factors it could not or did not attempt to measure such as endurance. The court noted lay testimony as to Christensen's level of impairment on a continuous basis, during non-work hours, and while doing non-employment-related activities. Whether these matters were factored into the deputy commissioner's decision is disputed and, at best, is unclear. In any event, on remand, they must be considered. In Terwilliger, decided after the decisions of the commissioner and the district court, we discussed the requirement of considering both medical and nonmedical testimony. Terwilliger, 529 N.W.2d at 273. We reiterate the importance of these considerations and direct the commissioner on remand to craft the resulting decision accordingly.