Opinion ID: 1843101
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: In the alternative, is Lanterman entitled to have this cause reversed and remanded to the Commission to determine the status and extent of his disability and compensation benefits due from and after December 7, 1978?

Text: With respect to whether Lanterman is entitled to permanent or total disability benefits subsequent to September 30, 1990, Lanterman has not addressed the issue on this appeal and Roadway has not had the opportunity to rebut it. Not being before us, it is procedurally barred and this Court declines to address it. Disability is defined by statute to mean incapacity because of injury to earn the wages which the employee was receiving at the time of injury in the same or other employment, which incapacity and the extent thereof must be supported by medical findings. Miss. Code Ann. § 71-3-3(i) (Supp. 1991). The burden is on the claimant to prove both medical impairment and loss of wage earning capacity. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 71-3-3(i), 71-3-17(c)(25) (Supp. 1991); Robinson v. Packard Elec. Div. G.M.C., 523 So.2d 329, 331 (Miss. 1988). Here the evidence shows that Dr. Andy, Lanterman's neurosurgeon, and Dr. McKelvie, Lanterman's chiropractor, found Lanterman to be totally disabled. Despite this disability, Lanterman passed Roadway physicals on 9/18/78, 5/20/80, 4/28/82, 4/14/84, 9/6/84, and 6/18/85. Lanterman continued to work full time for Roadway after each of the two accidents. Lanterman said that he could only drive half as much, but this evidence was disputed by comments made to Dr. Andy. On August 25, 1980, Lanterman told Dr. Andy that he had been driving 3200-3300 miles per week. On March 28, 1983, Lanterman told Dr. Andy that he had been working regularly 60-70 hours per week since June, 1982. On July 11, 1983, Lanterman told Dr. Andy that although the driving had been aggravating his condition, he drives 2,500-3,000 miles or 70 hours per week. Dr. Andy's medical opinion with respect to Lanterman's cervical lumbar areas was that Lanterman continues to have pain, but it is not enough to keep him from continuing on his daily work activity as a driver. The lumbar area also has not been incapacitating. Because Lanterman has shown no loss of wage earning capacity as a result of his injuries, we find that Lanterman is not entitled to permanent total disability benefits or to have this cause reversed and remanded to determine the status and extent of his disability. This argument has no merit.