Opinion ID: 1987331
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Petitioner's original petition for compensation benefits.

Text: On December 29, 1988, Simonson filed three arbitration petitions with the industrial commissioner seeking workers' compensation benefits for injuries she sustained in her employment with Snap-On Tools. Additionally, Simonson requested penalty benefits pursuant to Iowa Code section 86.13 for Snap-On's alleged delay in payment of benefits. An evidentiary hearing on the petitions was held April 10, 1990. Thereafter, the deputy industrial commissioner ordered Snap-On to pay Simonson 175 weeks of permanent partial disability benefits commencing May 26, 1988. The deputy made no award, or mention, of penalty benefits allowable under Iowa Code section 86.13. Simonson appealed the deputy's decision to the industrial commissioner. On March 6, 1991, during the time that her arbitration appeal was pending before the commissioner, Simonson filed a petition with the commissioner seeking penalties for Snap-On's alleged delay in paying compensation benefits since the April 10, 1990 hearing. On October 31, 1991, the commissioner issued a ruling concerning Simonson's arbitration petitions based on the record of the April 10, 1990 hearing. The commissioner affirmed the deputy's decision and awarded Simonson an industrial disability award of thirty-five percent and 175 weeks of permanent partial disability benefits. The commissioner also ordered Snap-On to pay Simonson 42.714 weeks of healing period benefits. These awards were based on a prediction that Simonson would lose thirty-five percent of her earning capacity from her work-related injuries. Also, the commissioner awarded no penalty benefits for the period up to April 10, 1990, based on his conclusion that Simonson's penalty claim was fairly debatable. Simonson then filed a petition for judicial review in district court, seeking review of the commissioner's October 31 ruling concerning the claims raised in Simonson's arbitration petitions. In its ruling, the district court (Judge Straub) affirmed in part and reversed in part the decision of the industrial commissioner as to Simonson's disability award. The court also affirmed the commissioner's ruling denying Simonson's claim for penalties under Iowa Code section 86.13 for alleged delay in benefit payments up to April 10, 1990. Simonson then appealed the district court's judicial review decision to our court. We transferred the case to the court of appeals. In its ruling issued June 29, 1993, the court of appeals reversed the decision of the district court and in effect affirmed the commissioner's decision as to all issues, except that the court remanded the case to the commissioner for the limited purpose of determining partial disability under [Iowa Code section] 85.33(4) for the weekend days of August 15 and 16, 1987. Simonson v. Snap-On Tools Corp., 513 N.W.2d 423 (Iowa App.1993) (Table). Upon remand, the industrial commissioner ordered Snap-On to pay Simonson temporary partial disability benefits for August 15 and 16, 1987.