Opinion ID: 14443
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 2 In early 1991, Hall began working for Consolidated Employment Systems, Inc. (CESI) as a painter and sandblaster. CESI, now defunct, was a temporary employment agency that provided its clients with sandblasters, painters, and other unskilled laborers. Hall's first and only job assignment began at Equitable Shipyard in New Orleans, Louisiana. Trinity Marine, a client of CESI, owned the shipyard and utilized it for cleaning and repairing barges and other vessels. 3 On March 13, 1991, in his second month on the job, Hall fell from a scaffold that a coworker had inadvertently bumped. He landed on the ground ten to fifteen feet below, sustaining injuries to his right knee, leg, and hip. Hall was twenty-seven years old at the time. 4 After the fall, Hall was promptly taken to a local hospital where he was treated and discharged. The next day, Hall reported to a medical clinic for additional treatment where he was examined by Dr. Robert Segura (Dr. Segura). Over the course of the next three weeks, Hall was examined at the clinic on five separate occasions by several different physicians. Dr. Segura ultimately concluded that Hall had suffered a soft tissue injury resembling a sprain, which had resulted in no permanent disability. Hall was released for regular work duty on March 26, 1991. 5 Hall subsequently complained that continued discomfort from his injuries prevented him from returning to work. Dr. Segura then referred Hall to Dr. George Murphy (Dr. Murphy), an orthopedist, who treated Hall on a routine basis from April 9, 1991 through July 21, 1992. Over the next fifteen months, Hall repeatedly complained of pain emanating from his knee, hip, and back. 1 Dr. Murphy examined Hall on nineteen separate occasions and performed a battery of tests. He found that Hall had suffered a sprained knee and a possible bone contusion, which had both since healed. Dr. Murphy also diagnosed Hall with a possible tear of his meniscus, although he concluded that the tear, if any, was too slight to destabilize the knee. Although Dr. Murphy detected an asymmetrical disc in Hall's spine, he concluded that the condition was not degenerative and did not limit Hall's activities. Dr. Murphy released Hall for regular work duty on January 2, 1992. The doctor also determined that Hall had reached maximum medical improvement as of that date. 6 On the advice of his attorney, Hall sought the expertise of another doctor, Dr. Harry Hoerner (Dr. Hoerner), who was an orthopedist. Dr. Hoerner examined Hall on three occasions between September 24, 1992 and May 20, 1993. Dr. Hoerner concluded that Hall had suffered a very tiny tear in his meniscus that did not require treatment. Dr. Hoerner also found two abnormal disks in Hall's back. The back condition prompted the doctor to restrict Hall from engaging in heavy work, although he did not restrict Hall from other types of work. Dr. Hoerner concluded that Hall had reached maximum medical improvement on September 24, 1992, the date Dr. Hoerner first examined Hall. 7 From March 14, 1991 through January 29, 1992, CESI voluntarily paid Hall disability compensation. When the payments ceased, Hall filed a claim with the United States Department of Labor under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA). A formal hearing was held before an administrative law judge on December 6, 1993. On January 27, 1995, the ALJ issued a decision and order awarding Hall temporary disability benefits based on an average weekly wage of $41.09. As the ALJ found that Hall had reached maximum medical improvement on January 2, 1992, the ALJ ordered that Hall receive compensation for the period of time between March 13, 1991, the date of his injury, and January 2. The ALJ also ordered CESI to reimburse Hall for his medical expenses, excluding those associated with Dr. Hoerner. 8 Hall appealed the ALJ's decision to the Benefits Review Board. On September 12, 1996, in accordance with the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996, Pub.L. No. 104-134, 110 Stat. 1321 (Appropriations Act or Act), the Board automatically affirmed the ALJ's decision, without argument, as Hall's petition had been pending before the Board for more than one year. 2 Hall appeals to this Court pursuant to § 921(c) of the LHWCA. 33 U.S.C. § 921(c). The Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, United States Department of Labor (Director), joins in the appeal.