Opinion ID: 1767053
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Temporary-total-disability benefits for the knee injury

Text: For his second point on appeal, Hickman argues that the Commission's decision to limit the award for temporary-total disability is not supported by the evidence. Specifically, Hickman contends that the Commission erred in reversing the ALJ and in awarding benefits from September 29, 2004, the date of his knee-replacement surgery, through May 4, 2005, the date the parties stipulated that Hickman reached the end of his healing period for his right knee and back. Hickman asserts that the Commission should have awarded temporary-total-disability benefits from October 28, 2003, the date that Hickman's total-disability benefits were terminated, through May 4, 2005. To receive temporary-total-disability benefits, Hickman had to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he was within a healing period and was totally incapacitated from earning wages. Searcy Industrial Laundry, Inc. v. Ferren, 92 Ark.App. 65, 211 S.W.3d 11 (2005). When an injured employee is totally incapacitated from earning wages and remains in his healing period, he is entitled to temporary-total disability. Id. The healing period ends when the employee is as far restored as the permanent nature of his injury will permit, and if the underlying condition causing the disability has become stable and if nothing in the way of treatment will improve that condition, the healing period has ended. Id. The determination of when the healing period has ended is a factual determination for the Commission and will be affirmed on appeal if supported by substantial evidence. Id. These are matters of weight and credibility, and thus lie within the exclusive province of the Commission. Id. In the present case, the Commission modified the ALJ's findings and ruled that Hickman reached the end of his first healing period for his right knee before October 28, 2003, and it was not until September 29, 2004, that he underwent total knee-replacement surgery, when a second healing period began. The Commission awarded these benefits from September 29, 2004, through May 4, 2005. We agree with the Commission's findings. Here, while it is true that Hickman did not return to work after October 28, 2003, there was substantial evidence to reflect that Hickman reached the end of his first healing period before October 28, 2003. Hickman's compensable injury occurred on April 26, 2002. In a progress note, dated March 5, 2003, Dr. Bailey opined that Hickman's right-knee condition was due to post-traumatic degenerative arthritis and that he would need knee-replacement surgery at some point. Dr. Bailey noted in another progress note, dated September 2, 2003, that the only procedure that would give him relief would be a right-knee replacement. Additionally, in a letter dated March 10, 2004, Dr. Bailey wrote that knee replacement surgery is necessary as Mr. Hickman has marked post-traumatic degenerative arthritis of the right knee and has failed other nonsurgical treatment options. Throughout this time period, Hickman suffered numerous problems with chronic back pain and had previously undergone multiple lumbar surgeries. For these reasons, we conclude that the Commission correctly determined that Hickman's right-knee condition plateaued well before the last date of his employment on October 28, 2003, and that the Commission correctly limited the award for temporary-total disability to the time period after his knee-replacement surgery from September 29, 2004, through May 4, 2005. Accordingly, we affirm on this point.