Opinion ID: 1413966
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the facts and proceedings before the commission.

Text: The facts of this case from the time of the work-related accident in 1974 until the Commission denied Horton's application for a hearing in 1983 are set forth in the opinion of this Court in Horton I. 106 Idaho at 895-96, 684 P.2d at 297-98. Within two months after the decision of this Court in Horton I in July 1984, Horton quit working for Garrett Freightlines, Inc. (Garrett), because it became apparent that a total replacement of his right hip would be necessary. The total right hip replacement was performed in the fall of 1984. Following the replacement, Horton's doctor did not give him a full duty work release. Horton's union would not allow him to return to his job without a full release, and he has never returned to work for Garrett. In the spring of 1984 Horton began to experience pain in his left shoulder and left leg or hip. In mid-December of 1984 Horton's doctor noted degenerative changes in Horton's left hip. By late February of 1985 the doctor X-rayed Horton's left shoulder and found severe arthritic changes. About that same time Horton complained to his doctor of back pain. By mid-March of 1985 the doctor noted early degenerative changes in Horton's left hip. By July of 1986 the doctor had diagnosed degenerative arthritis in Horton's right shoulder and a grade 1 spondylolisthesis and spondylolysis with the possibility of a herniated disk in Horton's back. In February 1986 Horton filed an application for a hearing with the Commission seeking a determination of the degree of his permanent disability. Horton's doctor concluded that the only physical impairment he could relate to the 1974 work-related accident with the requisite degree of medical probability was Horton's right hip impairment, and that Horton could not return to his former employment because of great pain in his shoulders and left hip. He rated Horton's permanent impairment due to the condition of his right hip as equal to 30 percent of a whole person. In September 1986 Horton was examined by a board certified orthopedic surgeon at the request of Garrett and its surety. This doctor found arthritic changes in Horton's left hip on the basis of X-rays taken in August 1984 as compared to prior X-rays. He diagnosed Horton's problems as osteoarthritis and avascular necrosis of the left hip, osteoarthritis of the right and left shoulder, and congenital spondylolisthesis of his low back. He rated Horton's permanent impairment because of his right hip as equal to twelve percent of a whole person. In this doctor's opinion, the 1974 accident caused all of Horton's right hip permanent impairment, but none of the impairment to his left hip, to either of his shoulders, or to his back. The doctor testified that it was Horton's hereditary collagen makeup that was responsible for his osteoarthritis. The Commission adopted the permanent impairment rating of Horton's right hip provided by the doctor for Garrett and its surety over those of Horton's physician. The Commission did so because in making his rating Horton's doctor began with the assumption that all of Horton's physical impairments should total 100 percent. He then assigned percentages somewhat arbitrarily to each of the individual impairments to achieve that result. The Commission also noted that Horton's doctor had evidenced confusion as to the extent of the permanent impairment due to Horton's right hip injury, sometimes assigning to it a rating of 50 percent of the whole leg and sometimes a rating of 50 percent of the whole person. The Commission pointed out that even when Horton's doctor finally decided that the correct figure was 50 percent of the whole leg, he incorrectly calculated that a rating of 50 percent of the whole leg was equivalent to 30 percent of the whole person. Pursuant to I.C. § 72-428, the 50 percent of the whole leg rating was actually equivalent to only 20 percent of the whole person. The Commission also noted that Horton's doctor had failed to take into account the decrease in total permanent impairment that takes place when separate permanent impairments are added together. The Commission also had before it testimony of two private rehabilitation specialists  one employed by Horton's attorney and one who saw Horton at the request of Garrett and its surety. The rehabilitation specialist employed by Horton's attorney concluded that based on the totality of Horton's physical impairments it was unlikely that Horton would find work within the geographic area of his employment by Garrett. This specialist did not attempt to disassociate the right hip condition from Horton's remaining physical impairments. The rehabilitation specialist employed by Garrett and its surety concluded that based upon only the physical limitations resulting from Horton's right hip replacement, Horton would be employable in regularly and continuously available employment, although not in heavy labor. This specialist also concluded that the physical impairments to the other portions of Horton's body would preclude substantially more employment opportunities and would render Horton for the most part permanently and totally disabled. Based on this evidence the Commission concluded that as a result of the 1974 work-related accident, Horton was permanently partially impaired to the extent of 12 percent of the whole person, and that considering Horton's permanent physical impairment and nonmedical factors, Horton was permanently disabled as a result of the accident to the extent of 30 percent of the whole person. It is from this decision that Horton has appealed.