Opinion ID: 1880861
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Commission's Findings in this Case

Text: It is well established that findings of fact made by the commission are conclusive upon appellate review and may not be set aside by this Court if supported by any competent evidence. M.C.L. § 418.861a(14); M.S.A. § 17.237(861a)(14); Holden v. Ford Motor Co., 439 Mich. 257, 263, 484 N.W.2d 227 (1992). In the absence of findings by the magistrate, the commission found that plaintiff suffered from the type of arthritis that is a condition [ ] of the aging process and that plaintiff's claim failed to survive the significant-manner test of subsection 301(2). This Court reviews these factual findings by the commission for any competent evidence. M.C.L. § 418.861a(14); M.S.A. § 17.237 (861a)(14). Because the commission's findings are supported by competent evidence, this Court should affirm.
The record in this case contains testimony from four doctors, all of whom recognized plaintiff's preexisting, arthritic condition and indicated that it was related to aging. From this deposition testimony, the commission concluded, There is no dispute that plaintiff suffers from a type of arthritis which is a condition of the aging process. 1995 Mich. ACO 1389, 1391. Specifically, in support of this conclusion, the commission quoted the following facts and findings of the magistrate. Dr. Christopher Schaiberger, M.D., saw plaintiff on June 3, 1992 on referral for a neurological examination of plaintiff's lower back and extremities. The examination proved normal. However, the doctor found significant lumbar degenerative arthritic changes, which in his opinion, preexisted October 17, 1991. Spurring at L5-S1 was observed. Dr. Schaiberger said that trauma could have initiated plaintiff's problems; but, he also noted that they could have developed spontaneously. Plaintiff, the physician said, should be limited to no bending, twisting and no lifting over 50 pounds without help. The doctor was surprised that plaintiff expressed a desire to return to work. Dr. Schaiberger admitted that plaintiff had degenerative changes throughout his entire spine. He would encourage plaintiff to lose weight. Plaintiff was said to be approximately 70 pounds overweight.       Dr. Harvey Andre, M.D., in a report based upon an examination of March 25, 1993 found degenerative changes at L3, L4-5.... There is agreement between Drs. Ross and Schaiberger that plaintiff has arthritic changes in his entire spine which predated October 17, 1991. I so find. [1995 Mich. ACO 1391.] The record provides further evidence that plaintiff's arthritic condition was age related. Indeed, two of the three experts quoted by the commission found arthritic degeneration of the whole spine, not just of the area that was directly injured in the October 1991 incident. Dr. Schaiberger found the degeneration to be significant, and he implied that plaintiff's overweight condition was a factor. Dr. Ross estimated the significant degeneration to have started approximately ten years before, a date that was not associated with a prior injury or discovery of arthritis. Dr. Schaiberger testified that a majority of individuals plaintiff's age, in their mid-fifties, would have similar arthritic changes. Drs. Warner and Ross also testified and shared the opinion that plaintiff suffered from degenerative changes common in individuals of plaintiff's age. I would that find these facts serve as competent evidence that plaintiff's arthritis was a condition of age. Therefore, because the record itself contains sufficient facts from which to make the requisite findings, there is neither any need nor statutory requirement that this Court, or the commission, remand to the magistrate.
In the absence of any finding by the magistrate, the commission found that the plaintiff's condition was related to the aging process and applied the significant-manner test of subsection 301(2) to conclude: [P]laintiff's work was not a significant factor in causing his disability.       We are not persuaded that the workplace incidents plaintiff complained of were of such a nature that they would have significantly contributed to plaintiff's already existing complaints caused by his degenerative arthritic condition. Certainly, when the record below is reviewed as a whole, it does not support a finding of a significant or pathological aggravation of plaintiff's longstanding arthritic condition. [1995 Mich. ACO 1393, 1395.] The commission started its review by noting a critical fact to which the magistrate failed to give much attentionplaintiff was treated by one of the experts, his chiropractor Dr. Warner, for the same lower back pain on several occasions, five to be exact, before the 1991 injury. 1995 Mich. ACO 1393. The commission then found Dr. Schaiberger's testimony failed to prove significant aggravation. Rather, it considered both Drs. Schaiberger's and Warner's testimony to be equivocal regarding the cause of plaintiff's increased pain after the 1991 injury. Indeed, Dr. Warner testified that the pain was greater immediately following the 1991 injury, but also found plaintiff's persisting pain was caused by his degenerative arthritic condition. Dr. Warner further testified that plaintiff suffered from stenosis, which is most commonly a degenerative change fairly common to individuals who, like plaintiff, are in their mid-fifties. Further, the doctor acknowledged that, because he did not review any pre-1991 medical examinations or reports, he could not measure the degree or extent of plaintiff's degenerative condition. Dr. Warner did testify, however, that he treated plaintiff for back pain that plaintiff claimed to have suffered from for twenty years or so. In contrast to this, the commission found Dr. Ross' testimony to be unequivocal in its conclusion that plaintiff's work-related injury at most caused a temporary symptomatic aggravation. 1995 Mich. ACO 1395. Indeed, Dr. Ross' medical report projected that [t]he hypertrophy of the facets and the degenerative joint disease changes will continue to predispose this patient to lower back complaints. However, these findings are pre-existing prior to patient's work related injury of October 17, 1991. Drs. Ross and Warner noted that plaintiff had been improving until he visited a chiropractor for an independent medical examination on December 2, 1991, at which time plaintiff claimed he was reinjured by a Dr. Hamilton. Finally, Dr. Ross concluded that plaintiff had reached pre-accident status when he saw him, and that the patient's present diagnosis [was] not related to his work injury.... The significant-manner test under subsection 301(2) further required the commission to consider the totality of both occupational and nonoccupational factors, such as plaintiff's weight, age, diet, and prior injuries. Farrington, supra at 217, n. 17, 501 N.W.2d 76. There is competent evidence in the record to suggest weight and age, as previously discussed, were significant causes of plaintiff's current arthritic condition. Indeed, Dr. Schaiberger recognized that plaintiff was overweight by roughly seventy pounds and that this excess baggage increased both the level of symptoms, or pain, and the deterioration of plaintiff's spine. Dr. Ross also indicated that some of plaintiff's back problems were caused by his excess weight. Furthermore, there is also competent evidence that an independent, subsequent injury could have caused or significantly contributed to plaintiff's on-going back complaints. Dr. Warner testified that plaintiff was reinjured during a December 2, 1991, independent medical examination. This examination, according to Dr. Warner, resulted in approximately 13 additional orthopedic findings of injury. I would find that these facts and the evidence on the record constitute the requisite competent evidence to support the commission's factual finding that plaintiff's injury did not contribute to or aggravate his arthritic condition in a significant manner as required by subsection 301(2) of the act. Accordingly, I would affirm the commission's reversal of the magistrate's open award under subsection 301(2).