Opinion ID: 1226459
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: aggravation of pre-existing injury

Text: The Court of Appeals also held that even if Sharpe was injured in an altercation with Harper, he was nonetheless entitled to compensation for the aggravation of his injury from the July 21st accident. This was error. The Single Commissioner specifically held that Sharpe did not sustain an injury by accident arising out of his employment on July 21st, 1994. Again, although there was evidence from which the Commissioner could have found that an accident occurred on July 21st, and from which he could have held a prior injury was aggravated, there is ample evidence in the record from which reasonable minds could infer that Sharpe was actually injured on July 16th, that no accident occurred on July 21st, and that, in fact, Sharpe staged the July 21st accident. Accordingly, the Court of Appeals erred in finding the aggravation of a pre-existing injury where there is substantial evidence supporting the Commission's holding that Sharpe did not suffer an injury by accident on July 21st. The Court of Appeals' opinion is REVERSED. FINNEY, C.J., TOAL, MOORE, and BURNETT, JJ., concur.