Opinion ID: 1873626
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: date of maximum medical recovery

Text: The Commission, after an examination of the evidence, found that McGowan had reached maximum medical recovery on August 20, 1987. Believing that the evidence did not support that finding, the Circuit Court reinstated July 8, 1988 as the date of maximum medical recovery. Orleans Furniture and its carrier appeal that finding. Whether and when a claimant has reached maximum medical recovery are questions which are to be determined by the Commission based on testimony from both lay and medical witnesses. Burnley Shirt Corp. v. Simmons, 204 So.2d 451, 453 (Miss. 1967). The issue may be a purely medical one. Thus, there may be medical evidence that the period of recuperation is not yet over, that further healing and strengthening may be anticipated, and that it is still too early to appraise claimant's permanent disability. Conversely, there may be medical testimony that the claimant has recovered as much as he ever will, and that any lingering disability is permanent. The fact that some treatment is necessary, such as physical therapy or drugs, does not necessarily rule out a finding that the condition has become stabilized, if the underlying condition causing the disability has become stable and if nothing further in the way of treatment will improve that condition. But, if treatment was given in the hope of improving the condition, the later discovery that no improvement resulted does not bar a finding that the healing period persisted throughout the process of treatment. The persistence of pain may not of itself prevent a finding that the healing period is over, even if the intensity of the pain fluctuates from time to time, provided again that the underlying condition is stable. (footnotes omitted) 2 A. Larson, The Law of Workmen's Compensation § 57.12(c), at 10-22 to 10-29 (1989). In Azwell v. Franklin Associates, 374 So.2d 766 (Miss. 1979), two hearings were held, one on August 20, 1974, and one on October 27, 1976, to consider the claim of the claimant. The result of the hearing was that the claimant had not yet reached maximum medical recovery. In the second hearing, the administrative judge asked the claimant's doctor if and when the claimant had reached maximum medical recovery. The doctor responded that he would put the date at July 17, 1974, since there had not been any significant change in the claimant's condition after that date. This Court found that maximum medical recovery had not yet been reached in spite of the doctor's testimony. The basis of the Court's decision included the fact that the administrative judge, in the hearing held on August 20, 1974, a later date than July 17th, found that maximum medical recovery had not been reached, that medical reports from the claimant's doctor indicated that the claimant was still undergoing treatment and would possibly have to undergo a spine fusion, and that the claimant himself testified that his ability to perform his activities was continuously decreasing and his income was decreasing proportionately. Azwell, 374 So.2d at 771. A claimant may continue to be temporarily disabled even though he has received maximum recovery from conservative care if his condition can be improved by surgery. [I]f a claimant sustains a compensable injury and receives medical treatment until discharged as cured, the testimony of the doctor who discharged the claimant may not be sufficient to furnish an effective conflict with that of another doctor who examined the claimant at a later date and who gives it as his opinion that the patient remains in a disability status, especially if the claimant also testifies that he continues to be disabled from the injury. Dunn, supra, § 279, at 350-351. Dr. Conn testified as to the date McGowan reached maximum medical recovery. The conflict in dates as to when maximum medical recovery was reached is a result of Dr. Conn's change of mind. Dr. Conn released McGowan to return to work on August 27, 1987. On January 2, 1988, Dr. Conn indicated in a report to the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company that McGowan had reached maximum medical recovery and that he could return to work. However, in his deposition, Dr. Conn said he felt that McGowan had not reached maximum medical recovery until he was finally released on July 8, 1988. He changed his mind after he saw that McGowan persisted with such a degree of impairment following the August release. Dr. Conn's treatment of McGowan from August of 1987 until the present differed only in the application of compression hosiery and conservative care of pain medication. He said that the continued care was given in the hope that there would be some change in McGowan's condition. In fact, Dr. Conn said that when he saw McGowan in November, he seemed to be worse than he was in August and that is why he started doing other things to try to improve McGowan's condition although those treatments never really helped. The change in the dates Dr. Conn gave as maximum medical recovery were a result of Dr. Conn's reassessment of McGowan's condition. We resolve the conflict in Dr. Conn's testimony in McGowan's favor. Although McGowan's condition did not improve after August of 1987, Dr. Conn continued treatment in the hope that it would. Dr. Conn was constantly reassessing McGowan's condition and was hopeful of improving that condition until July 8, 1988, when he finally released McGowan. Where only Dr. Conn has testified as to the date of maximum medical recovery, his testimony is by necessity given great weight. His explanation as to his change of mind is certainly plausible and is supported by McGowan's testimony that he continued to suffer from swelling and pain. The evidence substantially supports a finding of July 8, 1988, as the date of maximum medical recovery.