Opinion ID: 1662181
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Reaching MMI on Successive Injuries

Text: Employee argues that MMI must be reached on all compensable injuries that contribute to his current disability before temporary total disability benefits can be discontinued. Dr. Litman's MMI report in the instant case expressed his opinion that the employee had reached MMI from the January 2, 1986 injury; yet, the employee remains unable to work as a result of either the 1976 or 1986 injury or a combination of both. Notably, the record is insufficient at this time to apportion cause between the injuries because the first employer and insurer have not been involved in this litigation. Accepting New Mech's position that Mr. Hammer has reached MMI from the 1986 injury instead of requiring the employee's whole person to be at MMI would again create an unwarranted gap in the employee's benefits. In Joyce v. Lewis Bolt & Nut Co., 412 N.W.2d 304 (Minn.1987), we dealt with the difficulty attending the application of the new and old law in instances where an employee suffers a new and separate injury rather than a consequential injury, i.e., one which is simply a continuance or aggravation of an earlier injury. In that analogous situation, we concluded that it was far more practical that an employee only be required to prove that the latest injury is compensable. Id. at 307-08. The burden is on the employer, not the employee, to seek an allocation of liability among other, previous employers. This protects the employee from the onerous task of proving a series of injuries and attempting to apply the applicable law to each separate injury. In keeping with the principle of Joyce, the employee here is entitled to benefits regardless of a dispute among employers/insurers as to liability. Therefore, as a general rule, MMI must be reached on all compensable injuries to guard against a discontinuance of temporary total benefits when an employee remains disabled from work-related injuries and more appropriately places the burden of allocating liability on the employer. See Minn.Stat. § 176.101, subd. 4a (1986). Accordingly, we agree with the WCCA that MMI was not established by the employer in this case and, on that issue, the WCCA is affirmed.