Document: 515 U.S. 291115 S.Ct. 2144132 L.Ed.2d 226 METROPOLITAN STEVEDORE COMPANY, Petitionerv.John RAMBO et al. No. 94-820. Supreme Court of the United States Argued April 25, 1995. Decided June 12, Syllabus * Respondent Rambo received a disability award under Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) for an injury he sustained while working petitioner as longshore frontman. Subsequently, acquired new skills obtained work crane operator, earning more than three times his preinjury earnings, though physical condition remained unchanged. Petitioner filed application to modify LHWCA § 22 on ground that there had been "change in conditions" so was no longer disabled. An Administrative Law Judge terminated payments, Benefits Review Board affirmed, relying its 1984 Fleetwood decision change wage-earning capacity is conditions 22. The Appeals reversed, holding authorizes modification only where has employee's condition. Held: A may be modified capacity, even without any Pp. ____. (a) narrow reading phrase not supported by Act's language, structure, purpose. Section 22's use plural "conditions" suggests Congress did intend limit bases modifying awards single condition, such health. Rather, normal or natural reading, applicable are those entitled employee benefits first place, same which continuing entitlement predicated. This interpretation confirmed language §§ 2(10) 8(c)(21), make it clear compensation, initial matter, predicated loss should continue incapacity earn wages persists. Thus, essence economic, medical, concept. fundamental purpose compensate employees lost because injury; reduced, restored, improved, basis compensation changes permitted. (b) legislative history also does support construction Congress' maintain 1-year limitations period seek indicate congressional intent other parts Nor evidence when reenacted late 1984, endorsing prior Appeals' decisions limiting conditions. In addition, dicta cases claims swept away Court's neither authoritative nor persuasive. Finally, experience 11 years since suggest Office Workers Programs (OWCP) courts will flooded with litigation arising from requests based every wages. Such argument better directed at OWCP Director courts; misconception instant holding, occur actual fairly reasonably represent capacity. 28 F.3d 86 (CA9 1994), reversed remanded. KENNEDY, J., delivered opinion Court, REHNQUIST, C.J., O'CONNOR, SCALIA, SOUTER, THOMAS, GINSBURG, BREYER, JJ., joined. STEVENS, dissenting opinion. Robert E. Babcock, Portland, OR, petitioner. Jeffrey P. Minear, Washington, DC, federal respondent. Thomas J. Pierry, Wilmington, CA, respondents. Justice KENNEDY Court. 1 Act, 44 Stat. 1437, amended, 33 U.S.C. 922 (LHWCA), allows "on mistake determination fact." question this case whether party but rather increase due acquisition skills. 2 1980, respondent John injured back leg frontman Metropolitan Stevedore Company. claim Department Labor submitted Judge. After stipulated 221/2% permanent partial corresponding $120.24 decrease $534.38 weekly wage, ALJ, pursuant 8(c)(21) awarded 662/3% figure, $80.16 per week. App. 5. Because ALJ found Rambo's solely work-related "materially substantially greater would have resulted subsequent alone," 8(f)(1), 908(f)(1), limited petitioner's liability pay 104 weeks. Ibid.; 6. Later payments were issue special fund administered (OWCP), 8(f)(2), 908(f)(2). Employers (or their insurance carriers) contribute outstanding liabilities. See 44(c)(2)(B), 944(c)(2)(B). 3 award, began attending school. With acquired, operator. He worked spare time heavy lift truck Between 1985 1990, average ranged between $1,307.81 $1,690.50, pre-injury light increased petitioner, assumed responsibility see 22, 922; 20 CFR 702.148(b) (1994), asserted "disabled" Act. agreed absent discounting wage increases inflation considering risk job employment prospects, concluded "no loss" payments. 68. v. Newport News Shipping & Dry Dock Co., 16 BRBS 282 (1984), aff'd, 776 F.2d 1225 (CA4 1985), held condition[s]" means well 73. panel Ninth Circuit reversed. Director, OWCP, (1994). Rejecting Fourth Circuit's approach Fleetwood, claimant's We granted certiorari resolve split, 513 ----, 115 787, 130 779 (1995), now reverse. II 4 comprehensive scheme provide "in respect death . if results occurring upon navigable waters States." 3, 903(a). provides 922. view Circuit, include relevant benefits, our view, cannot stand face A. 5 Neither attempted base position statute, analysis statutory ought begin, "when statute speaks clarity issue, judicial inquiry into statute's meaning, all most extraordinary circumstance, finished." Estate Cowart Nicklos Drilling 505 469, 475, 112 2589, 2594, 120 379 (1992); Demarest Manspeaker, 498 184, 190, 111 599, 603-604, 608 (1991). 6 way once issued. section states: 7 "Upon own initiative, interest (including employer carrier relief 908(f) title), fact deputy commissioner, commissioner may, one year after date last payment rejection claim, review order terminate, continue, reinstate, increase, compensation." 8 On two occasions we construed "mistake fact" observed nothing supports attempts particular kinds factual errors involving changed circumstances. O'Keeffe Aerojet-General Shipyards, Inc., 404 254, 255-256, 92 405, 406-407, 30 424 (1971) (per curiam ); Banks Chicago Grain Trimmers Assn., 390 459, 465, 88 1140, 1144-1145, (1968). conditions." "conditions," word plural, 2A N. Singer, Sutherland Statutory Construction 47.34, p. 274 (5th rev. ed. 1992) (" 'Ordinarily legislature term intends reference matter thing' ") (quoting N.Y.Statutes 252 (McKinney 1971)); cf. ("[W]ords importing singular"). "normal" "natural reading," Cowart, supra, 477, S.Ct., 9 Our 8(c)(21). defines "disability" "incapacity receiving employment." 902(10). For certain injuries creates conclusive presumption sets fixed number weeks, according schedule. 8(c)(1)-(20), (22), 908(c)(1)-20, (22). When these types scheduled occur, claimant simply proves follows finite time. Bath Iron Works Corp. 506 n. 4, 113 692, 695 121 619 (1993); Potomac Electric Power Co. 449 268, 269, 101 509, 510, 66 446 (1980). "In cases," however, "the shall centum difference thereafter otherwise, payable during continuance disability." 908(c)(21). non-scheduled injuries, type case, element accompanies unless wages." 2(10), Works, 695; 269-270, 510-511. These sections "during disability," 908(c)(21), i.e., wages," accommodates requirement providing "a 10 insistence what seems us " 'narrowly technical impractical construction' phrase, O'Keeffe, 255, 407 Luckenbach S.S. Norton, 106 137, 138 (CA3 1939)), disregard plain It inconsistent structure LHWCA. Like workers' schemes, alone produced injury. 3(a), 8, 903(a), 908; 1C Larson, Workmen's 57.11 Disability LHWCA, defined terms medical Cf. 81.31(e) ("[D]isability sense economic component"). ascertained nonscheduled they "fairly capacity," do not, then "due regard nature [the employee's] injury, degree impairment, usual factors circumstances affect disabled including effect naturally extend future." 8(h), 908(h). beneficiaries) wage- modification. B Given itself leave little doubt intent, minimal, any, relevance. Connecticut Nat. Bank Germain, 503 249, 1146, 1149-1150, 117 391 Ardestani INS, 502 129, 136, 515, 520, 116 496 (1991); Intercounty Constr. Walter, 422 1, 95 2016, 2020-2021, 643 (1975) (construing ambiguity period). event, find arguments lacking force. 12 From Reports accompanying amendments 1934, 1938, suggesting unwilling modification, infer intended justify reopening award. rejected very Banks, U.S., logic continues elude us. apparent relevance 13 next contends following McCormick Employees' Comm'n, 64 84 1933), Courts unanimously refers conditions, Congress's reenactment amended must understood endorse approach. often relied "reenact[ment of] given consistent construction," Central Denver First Interstate Denver, 511 114 1439, 1452, 128 119 (1994); Pierce Underwood, 487 552, 566-567, 108 2541, 2550-2551, 490 (1988), aware made construction, Brown Gardner, 556-557, 462 Calamaro, 354 351, 359, 77 1138, 1143-1144, 1394 (1957). period, misreading McCormick, reject idea included merely expressed "applies earnings conditions," F.2d, 85; involved dicta, holdings, see, e.g., Pillsbury Alaska Packers 85 758, 760 1936), rev'd grounds, 301 174, 57 682, 81 L.Ed. 988 (1937); Burley Welding Inc. Lawson, 141 964, 966 (1944); General Dynamics 673 23, (CA1 1982) curiam); uniform approach, Hole Miami Shipyards Corp., 640 769, 772 (CA5 1981) ("[T]he later reflect lesser injury"). Under circumstances, persuaded silence carries significance. 14 related argument, criticizes sweeps accumulation 50 dicta. Far counseling hesitation, think step long overdue. "[A]ge antidote inconsistency statute," 557, dictum aged integrity, (1984); LaFaille Board, Dept. Labor, 884 54, 62 (CA2 1989); Avondale Guidry, 967 1039, 1042, (dictum). Breath spent repeating infuse life. unnecessary observations "are persuasive." McLaren Fleischer, 256 482, 41 577, 578, 65 1052 (1921); Donnelly, 397 286, 295, 90 1033, 1038-1039, 25 312 (1970). 15 argues flood parties request economy takes turn direction other. Experience decided is, her rulemaking 39(a), 939(a); Shipbuilding Drydock 514 1278, 1287, 131 160 (1995) (slip op., 12-13), courts. today. recognize nonscheduled-injury controlling capacity." Otherwise, determined many identified "any circumspect permit variation transient economy. There raising difficult questions constitutes need address them here. additional, marketable recognizing higher necessarily prove took care account evaluating "wage-earning open labor market 66. hold raised before opportunity address, reverse remand proceedings 17 ordered. 18 dissenting. 19 provision construes today enacted 1927. Although reached result adopts today, (CA4), over 60 otherwise precedent accords respondent's reasons stated Warriner dissent I settled law appropriate directive Congress. correctly observed: "Beginning dealing question, handed down 1933, wavering thereafter, uniformly interpreted 'change conditions' Longshoremen's (1982), refer exclusively compensation. 'the meaning generally attributed similar phraseology state workman's acts' existence shortly enactment Atlantic Coast Golubiewski, F.Supp. 315, 317 (D.Md.1934). "The majority's nice effort distinguish serves highlight numerous varied situations withstood temptation strictly adhered interpretation. Steamship Commission, (9th Cir.1933), example, refused allow diminished deteriorating Id., 85. Conversely, 1940's constitute reduction Cir.1944). imprisoned penitentiary life, 316-19, committed insane asylum. Bay Ridge Operating Lowe, 280, 280-82 (S.D.N.Y.1936). 21 cases, soon effective respective explicitly recent Dynamics, Programs, 23 (1st Cir.1982), court reiterated interpretation: '[c]ourts conditions.' 25[, 6] (citing 966). "Despite fifty years, more, precedent, majority overturned established revised apply departure warranted indication desired lawmakers. Congress, necessary add, indicates desires adopting legislation. "Fifty And perhaps can argued Board's, courts', erstwhile inhumane, unenlightened, anachronism, something else disparaging. But argued, submit, law." 1235-1236 (footnotes omitted). 24 reasons, affirm judgment Appeals. Accordingly, respectfully dissent. syllabus part prepared Reporter Decisions convenience reader. Detroit Lumber 200 321, 337, 26 282, 287, 499.

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