Opinion ID: 732663
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Presumption of Causation.

Text: 19 Howell argues that the Board erred in affirming the decision of the ALJ in light of the judge's alleged failure to afford him the statutory presumption under the Act in favor of recovery. 33 U.S.C. § 920(a) (In any proceeding for the enforcement of a claim for compensation under this chapter it shall be presumed, in the absence of substantial evidence to the contrary (a) That the claim comes within the provisions of this chapter.). In particular, he contends that the ALJ failed to presume coverage under the Act of his claim for temporary total disability arising from the aggravation of his hernia condition. 20 Once again, however, Howell's counsel did not press this claim before the Board. Rather, Howell's counsel strictly limited his attack on the ALJ's ruling to Howell's claim for partial permanent disability benefits, that is, injuries to Howell's arm, hip, leg and spine. In fact, in his brief before the Board, Howell's counsel stated clearly that [t]he issue in this appeal is simple: Has the employer-respondent proffered enough reliable evidence to rebut the claimant's claim for an 11% schedule loss of the right arm, and accept merely a 1% schedule loss. Accordingly, the ALJ's ruling on the cause of Howell's abdominal injury is not properly before the court, his counsel having waived that line of argument. See General Dynamics Corp., 681 F.2d at 40. 21