Opinion ID: 882125
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Vocational and rehabilitation evidence

Text: A rehabilitation counselor employed by Cyprus, Pete Sesselman, who had not interviewed or tested petitioner because she refused to meet with him in 1986, testified that in his opinion petitioner had the skills to perform the occupations of self-service gas station cashier, pharmacy cashier, and bartender. Sesselman reviewed the depositions and reports of medical experts and vocational counselors, as well as the testimony taken at the 1989 hearing. In addition, in June 1989 Sesselman sat in on petitioner's deposition. Based on this information and several types of vocational criteria, Sesselman submitted to Dr. Johnson and Dr. See descriptions of the three occupations in the Ennis area. Sesselman admitted that he did not consider petitioner's pain in his assessments because the degree of pain was a medical determination which physicians could weigh when evaluating job descriptions. In Sesselman's opinion, petitioner was capable of completing her GED and acquiring vocational training. Petitioner's vocational expert, Ian Steel, was of the opinion that she could not perform even entry level, sedentary occupations, because of pain, limited education, and lack of skills. He stated that petitioner could not sit, stand, or use her hands for prolonged periods of time. A professional vocational evaluator employed by the Butte Sheltered Workshop, Robert McGuire, tested petitioner six hours a day for four days in 1986. In reaching his conclusions, McGuire had analyzed earlier medical reports, but had not reviewed recent depositions of the physicians who had treated petitioner. McGuire testified that depending on the training, how long, intense the training is ... [petitioner] could get into some sort of training and job. He felt that petitioner could probably handle the bartender's job at the Silver Dollar Bar if not overburdened with customers. The Workers' Compensation Court concluded that petitioner was capable of performing particular jobs in her labor market and noted that college training after completion of her GED could provide her with the skills to enter a number of additional occupations.