Opinion ID: 1637264
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: ICS's Unreasonable Conduct

Text: ICS next contends that there was insufficient evidence to support the commission's finding that ICS defended the 1997 and 1999 claims without reasonable grounds under section 287.560. If the commission determines that any proceedings have been brought, prosecuted or defended without reasonable ground, it may assess the whole cost of the proceedings upon the party who so brought, prosecuted or defended them. Section 287.560. ICS refused to pay for treatment of Landman's shoulder until early 2000, when it agreed to pay medical bills and temporary benefits if its doctor concluded that the injury was work-related. But even after Dr. Petkovich concluded that it was a work injury, ICS did not provide Landman with his report or agree to provide treatment, which forced Landman to prepare for a hardship hearing. If ICS ever had a basis for denying treatmentof which there is no evidence in the recordthere certainly were no grounds for refusing treatment once Dr. Petkovich concluded that the injury was work-related. This conduct is especially unreasonable because ICS agreed to be bound by Dr. Petkovich's conclusions, and it was on the basis of these promises that Landman did not immediately seek a hearing. The foregoing supports the commission's finding that ICS refused treatment without reasonable grounds, and there is no overwhelming evidence to contradict the commission's conclusion. ICS defended the 1999 claim on the ground that Landman's work conditions did not cause the venous stasis disease. As the commission's conclusions show, ICS put on no evidence to support this defense. Even now, the only evidence ICS points to is Barnes' records, which it claims concluded that the leg problems were unrelated to work. The Barnes records relating to the 1999 injury, however, do not include any such finding. The records are not overwhelming evidence that ICS had a reasonable basis for denying that the injury was work-related. The commission's conclusion that ICS's defense of this claim was without reasonable grounds is supported by the evidence. See Stillwell v. Universal Const. Co., 922 S.W.2d 448, 457 (Mo. App.1996) (defense without reasonable grounds where employer offered absolutely no ground, reasonable or otherwise for refusing benefits clearly owed to claimant because injury was undisputedly workrelated). ICS argues that the commission erroneously focused on one aspect of its defenses in each case, rather than on its overall defense. ICS asserts that overall its defense was vigorous and reasonable, albeit unsuccessful. There is no authority requiring the commission to ignore an unreasonable aspect of a defense in light of the overall vigor with which a party defended a claim. Where the unreasonable conduct is tempered by reasonable conduct in other aspects of the defense, the remedy is not to simply deny all relief to the innocent party. Instead, the commission may exercise its discretion to order only a portion of the cost of the proceedings. The commission should only exercise its discretion to order the cost of proceedings under section 287.560 where the issue is clear and the offense egregious. But where the commission has so exercised its discretion, the Court will defer to it absent a lack of substantial evidence to support the award or overwhelming evidence contradicting it. See Pulitzer Pub. Co., 596 S.W.2d at 417. The evidence in this case supports the commission's conclusions and is not against the overwhelming weight of any contradictory evidence.