Opinion ID: 1666737
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Other Benefits

Text: The trial court awarded Irby [o]ther benefits prescribed by the Worker's Compensation Law of the State of Alabama as existing on July 10, 1997. Fort James argues that this award is too broad and unspecific. Irby argues that, because the Workers' Compensation Act entitles him to certain benefits, he should be awarded those benefits and the trial court's order should be read to mean only those benefits. Ala.Code 1975, § 25-5-81(a) requires the trial court to make a conclusive decision on the action. A decision providing for other unnamed benefits lacks a conclusive nature; it implies that further proceedings must take place to determine just what those other benefits are. Moreover, Ala.Code 1975, § 25-5-81(c) sets the employee's burden of proof at either a preponderance of the evidence or proof by clear and convincing evidence. Whatever the particular burden Irby bore at trial, that burden was to prove that he was entitled to certain benefits. As Fort James explains, the Workers' Compensation Act provides for several different benefits, only some of which concern the narrow issue of compensation for an employee's disability. The Workers' Compensation Act provides for workers' compensation payments, Ala.Code 1975, § 25-5-57; medical expenses, Ala.Code 1975, § 25-5-77(a) and (b); vocational rehabilitation, Ala.Code 1975, § 25-5-77(c) through (e); reimbursement of mileage, Ala.Code 1975, § 25-5-77(f); and penalties for overdue compensation, Ala.Code 1975, § 25-5-59. Fort James cannot and should not be expected to allot funds just in case Irby later decides to claim benefits to which he does not now but later may believe he is entitled. The law must have more predictability than to allow such retroactive claims. We hold that the Court of Civil Appeals erred in affirming the trial court's order awarding other benefits to Irby.