Opinion ID: 4503339
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Heading: facts

Text: Injury, Selection of Physician in Form 50, and Settlement. Rogers injured her back while working for Jack’s Supper Club in 2001. Shortly after the injury, she filled out a form indicating that she was choosing a “Dr. Beyers” at the Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman, Nebraska, to treat her for her work-related injury. The parties appear to agree that the form was a “Form 50” promulgated by the Workers’ Compensation Court. Rogers later filed a petition in the compensation court against JSC. After some litigation regarding Rogers’ claim, the compensation court approved a lump-sum settlement in 2010. The settlement resolved JSC’s liability for indemnity benefits. JSC remained responsible to pay Rogers for reasonable and necessary medical care for her work-related injury. Dispute Regarding Reimbursement for Medical Expenses. At some point not clear from our record, Dr. Beyers, the physician that Rogers selected in the Form 50, died. Rogers then received treatment from Dr. Lori Stonehocker, one of Dr. Beyers’ colleagues. JSC apparently reimbursed Rogers for treatment provided by Dr. Stonehocker. In 2010, Rogers moved to Florida and the parties’ counsel engaged in a series of communications regarding Rogers’ treating physician. JSC initially expressed concern about Rogers’ receiving treatment from a provider in Nebraska while living in Florida. It proposed that the parties agree to a pain management specialist in Florida. Rogers’ counsel responded that she would not agree with JSC to a pain management specialist. Rogers’ counsel later informed JSC’s counsel that Rogers had selected Dr. Jonathan Daitch, a pain management specialist in Florida. After Rogers’ counsel informed JSC’s counsel that there was no Form 50 and that Rogers was free to select her own doctor, JSC’s counsel responded that there was a Form 50 - 608 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 304 Nebraska Reports ROGERS v. JACK’S SUPPER CLUB Cite as 304 Neb. 605 and that as a result, it was not clear what basis existed for Rogers to unilaterally choose her own doctor. Rogers later filed a motion in which she alleged that JSC was refusing to reimburse her for treatment provided by Dr. Daitch. She asked that the compensation court order JSC to reimburse her for such treatment. Hearing on Motion to Compel Payment for Medical Expenses. At the hearing on Rogers’ motion, she testified that she had received treatment from both Dr. Daitch and Dr. Mark Means, a chiropractor in Florida. No evidence was presented that JSC agreed that Rogers could receive treatment from Dr. Daitch or Dr. Means. Rogers testified that while she discussed seeing Dr. Daitch with Dr. Stonehocker, Dr. Stonehocker did not refer her to Dr. Daitch. Rogers offered into evidence a number of medical bills for treatment provided by Drs. Daitch and Means. The majority of the treatment provided by Dr. Daitch was pharmacological, and Rogers offered Dr. Daitch’s opinion that due to the work-related injury, Rogers would require a lifelong medication regimen of fentanyl, Norco, Lyrica, and Valium. JSC offered the Form 50 and the communications between its counsel and Rogers’ counsel regarding the selection of a pain management specialist in Florida. JSC also offered medical reports setting forth opinions regarding Rogers’ injury and treatment. In one such report, Dr. John Massey stated that Rogers’ complaints were “disproportionate with what would be expected from the back injury which was sustained and the surgical intervention that was undertaken.” He expressed concern about possible adverse effects from Rogers’ medication regimen and recommended weaning her from oral opiates. In a subsequent report, Dr. Massey expressed concern that Rogers was taking fentanyl, Norco, Lyrica, Valium, and Flexeril. He stated that patients often believe that such a combination of opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants is more beneficial than it is. JSC also offered a report of Dr. Phillip Essay, - 609 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 304 Nebraska Reports ROGERS v. JACK’S SUPPER CLUB Cite as 304 Neb. 605 who reviewed Rogers’ records and examined her. He stated that Rogers’ complaints of pain were disproportionate with what would be expected and that there “is no evidence to support the long-term use of opioids for [Rogers’] condition related to the work injury.” Dr. Essay also recommended weaning Rogers from the opioid portion of the medication regimen. Compensation Court Order on Motion to Compel. Following the hearing, the compensation court issued a written order. It rejected JSC’s argument that it was not responsible for the medical expenses because Rogers failed to comply with Neb. Rev. Stat. § 48-120(2) (Cum. Supp. 2018), a statute governing selection of treating physicians. It concluded that the provisions of § 48-120(2) should not apply under the circumstances because Rogers had moved to Florida and could not be expected to obtain a referral from her Nebraska doctor for a physician in Florida. It also stated that the alleged failure to obtain a referral from a physician is an affirmative defense which JSC failed to plead. The compensation court went on to summarize the medical opinions of Drs. Daitch, Massey, and Essay. It concluded that the treatment provided by Dr. Daitch was reasonable and related to Rogers’ injury at work. The compensation court ordered JSC to pay certain bills offered by Rogers. It also stated that Rogers was allowed to continue treatment with Dr. Daitch’s office. JSC filed a timely appeal of this decision. ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR JSC assigns, summarized, that the compensation court erred in three respects: (1) by rejecting JSC’s argument that it was not responsible to reimburse Rogers for medical bills she incurred from providers in Florida, (2) by finding that the medical treatment provided to Rogers in Florida was reasonable and necessary, and (3) by failing to provide a basis for meaningful appellate review. - 610 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 304 Nebraska Reports ROGERS v. JACK’S SUPPER CLUB Cite as 304 Neb. 605