Court Opinion

ID: 9840029
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-14 21:11:57.13527+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T10:06:17.074667
License: Public Domain

FILED
                                                                         September 14, 2023
                                                                           EDYTHE NASH GAISER, CLERK
                                                                           SUPREME COURT OF APPEALS
                                                                               OF WEST VIRGINIA

                               STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA
                             SUPREME COURT OF APPEALS

Angelina M. Dix,
Claimant Below, Petitioner

vs.)   No. 21-0734        (BOR Appeal No. 2056532)
                          (Claim No. 2021003322)

Justice Family Group, LLC,
Employer Below, Respondent

                                 MEMORANDUM DECISION

       Petitioner Angelina M. Dix appeals the decision of the West Virginia Workers’
Compensation Board of Review (“Board of Review”). Justice Family Group, LLC, filed a timely
response. 1 The issue on appeal is compensability. The claims administrator rejected the claim on
September 3, 2020. The Workers’ Compensation Office of Judges (“Office of Judges”) affirmed
the decision in its March 19, 2021, Order. The Order was affirmed by the Board of Review on
August 24, 2021. Upon our review, we determine that oral argument is unnecessary and that a
memorandum decision affirming the Board of Review’s decision is appropriate. See W. Va. R.
App. P. 21.

        On July 28, 2020, Ms. Dix, a barback, 2 reported to Hannah Hellems, FNP-C, that she had
pain shooting up and down her legs after working ten to twelve hour shifts five or six days a week.
Ms. Dix stated that she had used all of her FMLA leave and there were no alternative positions she
could work that would allow her to sit during her shift. She was diagnosed with venous peripheral
insufficiency, bilateral lower extremity edema, and low back pain with radiculopathy affecting the
legs. An x-ray showed chronic changes in the lower thoracic and lumbar spine with reduction of
L3-4 disc height space consistent with degenerative disc disease and mild degenerative sclerosis
in the lower lumbar facet joints. It was noted that Ms. Dix was tearful and stated that day was her
last paid day off. She requested that disability paperwork be completed.

        Ms. Dix alleges that she then suffered a low back injury while lifting a fifty-pound keg on
August 10, 2020. According to Ms. Dix, she heard a “pop” in her back. Ms. Dix claims that she
treated that injury at home, but her lower back stiffened. She then sought treatment from Rainelle

       1
       Petitioner, Angelina M. Dix, is represented by Reginald D. Henry, and respondent, Justice
Family Group, LLC, is represented by Melissa M. Stickler.
       2
           A barback is an assistant to a bartender.
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Medical Center on August 12, 2020. Ms. Dix denied prior injuries or lower back symptoms that
day. Yet, previous treatment notes from Rainelle Medical Center indicate Ms. Dix had preexisting
lumbar spine issues including recurrent low back pain, back sprain, nonallopathic lumbar spine
lesion, somatic dysfunction of the spine affecting the pelvic region, and lumbar radiculopathy.

        The Employees’ and Physicians’ Report of Injury was completed on September 1, 2020.
Ms. Hellems completed the physicians’ section and diagnosed low back pain with radiculopathy,
paraspinal spasm, and thoracalgia of the lumbar and thoracic spine. The claim was denied on
September 3, 2020. By a September 24, 2020, letter, Ms. Dix protested the decision. She stated
that though she was supposed to have help lifting the keg, no one helped her. She attempted to
move it by herself when she heard a popping sound in her back and developed pain. She stated
that she sought treatment and has been under a physician’s care since August 12, 2020.

       On November 2, 2020, Ms. Dix began treating with Ms. Hellems who noted that Ms. Dix
had an acute onset of symptoms on August 10, 2020. When she was treated on August 12, 2020,
Ms. Dix refused to complete workers’ compensation paperwork, stating that there were no
witnesses to her injury, and she would rather have short term disability. It was noted that Ms. Dix
reported bilateral lower extremity swelling and bilateral leg pain prior to the compensable injury
and had sought treatment for the symptoms prior to the alleged injury. Ms. Hellems opined that
Ms. Dix’s back pain was the result of a work injury; however, she noted that Ms. Dix’s symptoms
had varied throughout the course of treatment and did not directly correlate with the diagnostic
imaging.

        Ms. Dix completed interrogatories on November 11, 2020, in which she reiterated that she
injured her back while lifting a fifty pound keg. For the question regarding prior injuries of the
affected body part, she responded with “n/a”. In a November 20, 2020, handwritten statement,
Janey Bowling indicated she spoke with Ms. Dix on multiple occasions while they worked prior
to the alleged injury. Ms. Bowling stated that Ms. Dix often complained of lower back pain and
mentioned that she was afraid of undergoing surgery due to a risk of paralysis. Rusty Waid
completed a handwritten statement on November 30, 2020, in which he stated that he worked with
Ms. Dix in June and July of 2020 and she stated several times that her back was “messed up” and
she was seeing a physician. Jessica Boggs completed an undated handwritten statement in which
she stated that she worked with Ms. Dix and that Ms. Dix told her prior to the alleged injury that
she had a deteriorating back condition for which she was going to seek treatment. Jim Bob Bowling
also completed an undated handwritten statement in which he asserted that though he worked with
Ms. Dix on the night of the alleged injury, he did not witness an injury. He also stated that Ms.
Dix had complained of back problems before the alleged injury occurred.

         Ms. Dix testified in a December 18, 2020, deposition that she had no lower back issues or
treatment prior to the alleged August 10, 2020, injury. She stated that she was injured while lifting
a fifty pound keg. She did not immediately report her injury to her coworkers because she did not
initially realize how serious it was. When questioned regarding Mr. Waid’s statement, Ms. Dix
alleged that he was incorrect. Ms. Dix also alleged that Ms. Bowling was incorrect and asserted
that their conversations regarding her back pain were after the alleged injury occurred. On cross-
examination, Ms. Dix asserted that Ms. Hellems was the only physician she saw prior to the alleged
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injury and that she did not seek treatment for her back until August 12, 2020. She also denied
talking to any of her coworkers about her condition. Ms. Dix stated that she had a problem with
missing work previously due to migraines and that she had taken Family Medical Leave Act time
for her migraines. She denied Ms. Hellems’s notation that she stated she had used all of her FMLA
time or that she was concerned about losing her job. She asserted that many of the things Ms.
Hellems included in her record were incorrect. Ms. Dix also testified that she was aware that her
answers to interrogatories were supposed to be true and admitted that she did not provide accurate
information to such questions.

        The Office of Judges affirmed the claims administrator’ rejection of the claim in its March
19, 2021, Order. It found that the claim could not be held compensable because Ms. Dix’s
testimony was unreliable. Ms. Dix asserted that Mr. Waid’s statement that she mentioned lower
back issues in June and July of 2020, was inaccurate. However, the Office of Judges found that
Mr. Waid’s statement was supported by the June 28, 2020, treatment note from Rainelle Medical
Center diagnosing, among other things, lower back pain with radiculopathy. The Office of Judges
noted Ms. Dix’s assertion that she applied for FMLA leave for migraines was also determined to
be questionable because migraines were not noted in the medical records. The Office of Judges
also noted that while Ms. Dix testified that she knew she was supposed to be truthful in
interrogatories, she conceded that she was not. Finally, the Office of Judges found that the
statements made by Ms. Boggs and Mr. Bowling had not been addressed by Ms. Dix. The Office
of Judges concluded that given Ms. Dix’s diagnostic testing and treatment notes, dating as far back
as January of 2010, it is more likely that the four statements made by her coworkers, that she
complained of back pain prior to the alleged injury, are reliable. The Office of Judges ultimately
concluded that Ms. Dix was not credible, and her claim was properly denied. The Board of Review
adopted the findings of fact and conclusions of law of the Office of Judges and affirmed its decision
on August 24, 2021.

        This Court may not reweigh the evidentiary record, but must give deference to the findings,
reasoning, and conclusions of the Board of Review, and when the Board’s decision affirms prior
rulings by both the Workers’ Compensation Commission and the Office of Judges, we may reverse
or modify that decision only if it is in clear violation of constitutional or statutory provisions, is
clearly the result of erroneous conclusions of law, or is based upon a material misstatement or
mischaracterization of the evidentiary record. See W. Va. Code § 23-5-15(c) & (d). We apply a de
novo standard of review to questions of law. See Justice v. W. Va. Off. Ins. Comm’n, 230 W. Va.
80, 83, 736 S.E.2d 80, 83 (2012).

        After review, we agree with the reasoning and conclusions of the Office of Judges as
affirmed by the Board of Review. For an injury to be compensable it must be a personal injury that
was received in the course of employment, and it must have resulted from that employment. See
Barnett v. State Workmen’s Comp. Comm’r, 153 W. Va. 796, 172 S.E.2d 698 (1970). In this case,
there were no witnesses to the alleged injury. Compensability is not precluded in such cases;
however, a claimant such as Ms. Dix must be a credible witness in order for her assertion of an
injury to be accepted. In this case, Ms. Dix is not credible because she denies preexisting low back
issues when medical records and statements from four different colleagues show otherwise. The
claim was properly denied.
                                                   3
                                              Affirmed.
ISSUED: September 14, 2023

CONCURRED IN BY:
Chief Justice Elizabeth D. Walker
Justice Tim Armstead
Justice John A. Hutchison
Justice William R. Wooton

Justice C. Haley Bunn not participating

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