Opinion ID: 2202641
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Cox v. Caldarone

Text: On January 14, 1974, employee Leroy Cox injured his back while working for employer Kaiser. Employee's physician, Dr. Joseph Izzi, diagnosed his condition as low-back syndrome, for which Dr. Izzi prescribed traction, exercises and medication. The employee complains of persistent back pain and evidenced limited pain-free range of motion. Doctor Izzi states that employee is totally disabled with regard to his former employment, and should avoid bending, sitting, standing and lifting. Under cross-examination Dr. Izzi acknowledged that employee's condition has remained virtually unchanged and that he could return to selected light work without further deterioration of his condition. In fact, employee traveled to Arizona at the suggestion of his physician in 1979 and found employment there with a relative working at flea markets. The employee entered into a consent decree in October 1979 that reduced his work-incapacity status from total incapacity to partial incapacity. At the hearing before the commission, the employee presented as an expert witness Maurice Chefitz, Ph.D., an authority on vocational and rehabilitative counseling. Doctor Chefitz testified, over the objections of employer, that due to the physical limitations placed upon employee that he should avoid sitting, standing, lifting and bending, no work exists for him in the marketplace and, therefore, for the purposes of this act he is totally disabled. At the close of testimony the commissioner summarized the medical evidence, stating that employee could do some light work provided that it did not require heavy lifting or pushing. He rejected application of the odd-lot doctrine [2] to Second Injury Fund cases and concluded that since employee was not totally incapacitated as required by statute, he was not entitled to Second Injury Fund benefits.