Opinion ID: 1843101
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether the Commission and the circuit court committed reversible error as a matter of law by arbitrarily and capriciously disregarding and rejecting the evidence presented by Lanterman.

Text: a. Is Lanterman entitled to recover from Roadway compensation for all past medical expenses? b. Is Lanterman entitled to be compensated by Roadway for all future medical treatment by doctors selected by Lanterman for such period of time as the nature of his injuries may require? c. Is Lanterman entitled to an award of total and permanent benefits subsequent to September 30, 1990 for 450 weeks, at the weekly rate of $133.00? d. Is Lanterman entitled to recover penalties and interest to be paid by Roadway? e. In the alternative, is Lanterman entitled to have this cause reversed and remanded to the Commission to determine the status and extent of his disability and compensation benefits due from and after December 7, 1978? II. Whether the Commission and the Pearl River County Circuit Court erred in permitting Roadway to take credit for periods of time when Lanterman was receiving vacation pay and escape payment of weekly compensation benefits. III. Whether the costs of appeal of Lanterman's case levied by the circuit clerk and ordered ex parte by the circuit judge of Pearl River County are not authorized by statute. Lanterman also moves this Court to award him 33 1/3 percent of all amounts which may be awarded in this Court or on remand to the Commission. E.L. Lanterman had been employed by Roadway Express, Inc. since September 17, 1963 as a line haul driver. [1] On April 7, 1978, Lanterman, then fifty-five years of age, was climbing out of the cab of the semi-truck he was driving at the McNeal Truck Stop in Picayune, Pearl River County, Mississippi. Lanterman stepped down to where he believed a bottom step would be, but the particular model truck he was driving did not have a bottom step. Lanterman fell backwards from approximately three feet up, landing on his back and striking his head on the ground. Paul Freeman, a Roadway driver who also was in McNeal, saw Lanterman and assisted him to his feet. Roadway was notified and Lanterman was taken to the hospital in Picayune, where he stayed three or four days. Upon his release, Lanterman began treatment by Dr. Stoddard and Dr. Irby, Roadway physicians. Lanterman complained of recurring severe headaches, dizziness and problems with his equilibrium. After three weeks, Lanterman was referred to Dr. Fleckenstein, a neurosurgeon. Dr. Fleckenstein placed Lanterman in a hospital to run tests. Dr. Fleckenstein's examination, which included a CAT Scan and EEG, resulted in no abnormal findings. Lanterman was released in June and returned to work on June 16, 1978. Lanterman made one trip, but was dizzy and felt unstable. Lanterman told his terminal manager that he could not work at that time. Lanterman returned to Dr. Fleckenstein and was again hospitalized. Dr. Fleckenstein's re-examination which included a spinal tap again resulted in no abnormal findings. Lanterman was referred to Dr. Smith, who also found nothing wrong with Lanterman. Both doctors gave Lanterman a medical release to return to work. Because Lanterman did not feel he was able to work, he took a four week vacation. On October 2, 1978, Lanterman again returned to work. Upon his return to work, Lanterman worked full time although he continued to have severe headaches, low back pain and pain down both legs. Due to his medical problems, Lanterman could only work approximately half as much as he previously did. Lanterman's salary, however, remained close to what he had previously been making. [2] In December, 1978, Lanterman began receiving chiropractic treatment from Dr. McKelvie, a chiropractor. Lanterman complained of dizziness, headaches, soreness in his neck, low back pain and some numbness in his forehead. Dr. McKelvie took x-rays and found some abnormalities which would cause some of Lanterman's problems such as headaches and shoulder pains. Dr. McKelvie also noticed that Lanterman's left pupil was slightly dilated. Dr. McKelvie's chiropractic manipulations on Lanterman were ongoing at the time of Dr. McKelvie's testimony at the first hearing on October 7, 1980. On December 9, 1979, Lanterman, while driving a Roadway truck, was involved in a second accident. Lanterman was in Laurel, Mississippi, when he lost control of his truck when the load shifted as he was rounding a curve. During the accident, Lanterman bruised his knee and believed he hit his head on the cab roof or door. As a result of the accident, Lanterman was terminated for reckless driving. He was reinstated soon after as a result of union influence and his prior good driving record. After the second accident, Dr. McKelvie re-x-rayed Lanterman and noticed a change in the curvature of his spine. She also performed other tests which she believed were indicative of possible brain lesions and cervical problems. She noticed that Lanterman's left pupil was now more dilated and that Lanterman had difficulty distinguishing sharp from dull pricks on his left side. Lanterman also complained of numbness in the left side of his face. Believing some of Lanterman's problems to be beyond chiropractic treatment, Dr. McKelvie referred Lanterman to Dr. Andy, a neurosurgeon, for some of his problems. Prior to seeing Dr. Andy, Lanterman saw Dr. Soriano, a general practitioner, on March 25, and April 25, 1980. Lanterman complained of dizziness, low back pain, and numbness in the left side of his face. Dr. Soriano could find no explanation for Lanterman's dizziness. Dr. Soriano believed Lanterman should no longer drive a truck in his condition and therefore was totally disabled. Dr. Soriano referred Lanterman to Dr. Kilgore, a vascular surgeon. Dr. Kilgore sent Dr. Soriano a report indicating that the results of his examination, which included a cardiovascular test on Lanterman, were normal. Dr. Kilgore referred Lanterman to Dr. Bowlus, a neurosurgeon. Dr. Soriano was not aware of Dr. Bowlus' findings. Dr. Andy saw Lanterman on May 12, 1980. Dr. Andy diagnosed Lanterman as having post-traumatic brain syndrome consisting of headaches and behavioral or sensory motor disorders. Lanterman was hospitalized and had an EEG which showed paroxysmal bursts of abnormal spikes and a myelogram which showed a defect at L4 and C4. Dr. Andy placed Lanterman on medication for his headaches and unstableness and continued to follow Lanterman. Lanterman improved, but still had some difficulties. During follow-up visits additional EEGs were done and each continued to be abnormal. Despite Lanterman's medical problems, in June, 1981 and July 1983, Dr. Andy noted that Lanterman was still driving 60 to 70 hours per week. In April, 1981, while being followed by Dr. Andy, Lanterman also saw Dr. Borrell and Dr. Pringle for a respiratory problem, which Lanterman contends occurred as a result of Lanterman inhaling gasses and fumes in his cab as he drove the trucks. Lanterman was hospitalized for three days and was diagnosed as having allergies, asthma and bronchitis. At the end of July, 1983, Dr. Andy hospitalized Lanterman due to his chronic low back pain and pain in right arm. In August, Dr. Andy operated on Lanterman for his neck and back disk problems. As of the hearing on May 10, 1985, Dr. Andy believed that Lanterman had not yet reached maximum medical benefits and was totally disabled. In early September, 1983, Lanterman resumed work. He continued until the spring of 1984, when he took off several months as a result of a myocardial infarction, which Lanterman contends was work-related. Lanterman resumed truck driving for Roadway in the fall of 1984. In September, 1985, he retired.