Opinion ID: 2309465
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Extent of Petitioner's Incapacity

Text: The employer and insurance carrier attack as erroneous, because unsupported by evidence, the Commission's conclusion that petitioner was totally disabled from February 26, 1971 and such total disability was continuing as of the date of the Commission's decree and into the future. In the workmen's compensation law of Maine two kinds of total incapacity to engage in remunerative employment are recognized: (1) actual physical inability to perform any substantial remunerative work, or (2) a partial physical disability which, nevertheless, is of such nature that the injured employee can `perform no services other than those which are so limited in quality, dependability, or quantity that a reasonable stable market for them does not exist. . ..' Bolduc v. Pioneer Plastics Corporation, Me., 302 A.2d 577, 580 (1973) quoting 2 Larson, The Law of Workmen's Compensation, § 57.51 Petitioner's claim, here, presents each of these facets of total disability. The evidence warrants the conclusion by the Commissioner that from February 26, 1971 to April 17, 1974 petitioner's actual physical condition rendered her unable to perform any substantial remunerative work and, therefore, petitioner was totally disabled during this period. Commencing with April 17, 1974, however, the medical evidence shows that petitioner's actual physical disability had become such that she was physically able to perform some remunerative work. Hence, a determination whether petitioner remained totally disabled after April 17, 1974 became dependent upon whether the second basis for total incapacity, above mentioned, was operativenamely, whether, despite her physical ability to perform some remunerative work, no reasonably stable market existed for the kind of work which, in consequence of the accident, petitioner was able to perform. As to this, since the petitioner sought an award of compensation, petitioner had the ultimate burden to show by a preponderance of the evidence that she had made reasonable efforts to obtain work within her work capabilities and had failed to obtain any such work. Bolduc v. Pioneer Plastics Corporation, supra. Our examination of the entire record in this case convinces us that petitioner has failed to meet this ultimate burden of proof reposing upon her to show total incapacity after April 17, 1974. In this particular respect the Commissioner's decree is in error and, as to it, the appeal of respondents must be sustained. The Commissioner's finding of total incapacity after April 17, 1974 purports to be supported by the Commissioner's conclusion that qualificational limitations of petitioner were conjoined with her physical limitations to prevent her from performing any substantial remunerative work. Nothing of record, however, shows what these qualificational limitations were or discloses a basis on which the Commissioner reached, or could reach, his ultimate conclusion. Nothing appears concerning the prior employment history of petitioner (except the fact, insignificant for present purposes, that petitioner had worked as a spooler at Wyandotte for a few months prior to her injury), or indicating her educational background or the nature or scope of her skills. With the record thus failing to disclose any qualificational limitations of petitioner the record affords no rational basis for a determination whether the efforts made by petitioner to find employment after her accident [4] were reasonable efforts to find remunerative work within petitioner's limitations, physical as well as qualificational. Petitioner has, therefore, failed to meet the ultimate burden of proof reposing upon her, as a petitioner for an award of compensation, to show herself totally incapacitated after April 17, 1974. From that date on petitioner's proof shows her to be only partially incapacitated. The entry is: Appeal sustained. Pro forma decree of the Superior Court vacated. Case remanded to the Industrial Accident Commission for: (1) entry of a Commission decree adjudicating petitioner totally incapacitated from February 26, 1971 to April 17, 1974 and, as such, entitled to be paid compensation during said period at the rate of $50.60 per week; and (2) further proceedings to fix the extent of petitioner's partial incapacity in terms of weekly compensation from and after April 17, 1974. Further ordered that the Appellants Wyandotte Industries Corporation &/or Travelers Insurance Company pay to the Appellee Glenys M. Oliver $550 for her counsel fees, plus her actual out-of-pocket expenses of this appeal.