Opinion ID: 1426853
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: there is competent evidence to support the sole party-insurer's liability for the award on review

Text: ¶ 26 This court must apply the any-competent-evidence standard when reviewing the compensation tribunal's resolutions of fact on nonjurisdictional issues. [33] If conflicting or inconsistent inferences may be drawn from undisputed facts, the issue is not one of law but rather that of fact. [34] It is only in the absence of competent evidence [35] that a trial tribunal's decision may be viewed as legally erroneous and hence subject to appellate vacation. [36] ¶ 27 On this record, competent evidence supports the finding that claimant's temporary total disability from her cumulative-effect injury (with medical expenses) resulted from impairment suffered during PFL's term of coverage, and did not exist before. Medical reports and Franklin's testimony indicate that her work on employer's receiving dock coincided with PFL's term of coverage. The latter began on March 1, 1995. [37] Franklin's work assignment at the dock required her to lift boxes weighing from five to fifty pounds and to use a box opener. She performed these tasks during the entire eight-hour work day. In short, it is clear that during PFL's coverage Franklin was subjected to repetitive tasks requiring the use of her hands. That, coupled with supportive medical evaluation, supplies competent proof for the trial judge's finding that Franklin's micro-trauma culminating in her temporary total disability resulted from activity that took place during PFL's coverage period. ¶ 28 While PFL was free to argue that Franklin's initial exposure to micro-trauma took place earlier in her term of employment (or link the current injury to prior medical history) and to urge that Franklin's injury to be compensated in this claim had manifested itself earlier than March 1, 1995, [38] the power to resolve a factual dispute so tendered stood reposed in the WCC. Because competent evidence supports the finding that Franklin's temporary total disability (with medical expenses) resulted from her micro-traumatic injury sustained from activities that took place between March 1, 1995 and June 22, 1995 (during PFL's term of coverage), we are powerless to disturb the trial tribunal's award.