Opinion ID: 1508402
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Schnabel's Recovery

Text: Nordic Toyota claims the court erred in finding that Schnabel had recovered sufficiently to perform the duties required of the group leader position. The issue is whether Schnabel, in early 1994, could reasonably be expected to perform safely the duties of the group leader position in satisfaction of 21 V.S.A. § 643b(a)(2). This Court will not set aside findings of fact unless, taking the evidence in the light most favorable to the prevailing party and excluding the effects of modifying evidence, they are clearly erroneous. Jacobs v. Jacobs, 144 Vt. 124, 126, 473 A.2d 1165, 1167 (1984). Findings will not be disturbed merely because they are contradicted by substantial evidence; rather, an appellant must show there is no credible evidence to support them. See Community Feed Store, Inc. v. Northeastern Culvert Corp., 151 Vt. 152, 154-55, 559 A.2d 1068, 1069 (1989). Where the trial court has applied the correct legal standard, the Supreme Court will uphold its conclusions of law if reasonably supported by the findings. See Highgate Assocs., Ltd. v. Merryfield, 157 Vt. 313, 315-16, 597 A.2d 1280, 1281-82 (1991). According to the record, Schnabel underwent surgery in December of 1992 for a disc problem related to the 1991 injury and thereafter commenced a period of rehabilitation. Schnabel's treating surgeon placed him at an end medical result on August 11, 1993, which permitted subsequent work hardening rehabilitation to improve his strength and pain management. Dr. Rowland Hazard, a specialist in the treatment of back pain and a staff member of the New England Spine Institute, stated it was more likely than not that Schnabel was capable, as of February 19, 1994, of performing most, if not all, of the duties of group leader with the exception of repetitive lifting of fifty pounds. Schnabel testified that in January 1994 he could have satisfactorily performed the duties of a full-time mechanic at Nordic Toyota  a position with physical demands similar to those required of a group leader. The record indicates that the group leader position affords the person so employed the flexibility to assign physically demanding tasks to others. Although the court acknowledged conflicting evidence in the medical records concerning Schnabel's ability to return to work in the fall of 1993, the record provides support for the court's conclusion that Schnabel's disability had come to a final medical resolution by August 11, 1993, and that Schnabel could reasonably be expected to perform safely the duties of group leader beginning in January of 1994.