Court Opinion

ID: 9534777
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:42:43.52711+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:32:32.730543
License: Public Domain

URBIGKIT, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
In contesting the benefit award in this case, the Wyoming Workers' Compensation Division elected to proceed to hearing on a strategy based on cross-examination of contestant’s witnesses. Not done was the acquisition of factual education by requiring the claimant to submit to an “independent” physical examination by a department designated doctor.1
The state’s fund contest did not consist of affirmative evidence when only supported by cross-examination attack on the claimant’s evidence which, in itself, still provided no evidence. Oukrop v. Wasserburger, 755 P.2d 233 (Wyo.1988). The claimant’s case may have been weakened by what courts have on occasion characterized as insufficient or incidental inconsistency, but this did not change the stature of substantial affirmative evidence which was undisputed by responsive testimony. In re Use Tax Assessment No. 32950, 491 P.2d 1232 (Wyo.1971). See the discussion of inconsistency to imply opposition, antagonism or repugnancy in Swan v. United States, 3 Wyo. 151, 9 P. 931 (1886); State *86v. Dean, 129 N.H. 744, 533 A.2d 333 (1987); and Ward v. State, 95 Nev. 431, 596 P.2d 219 (1979).
Within the character of this decision which was initially an administrative agency adjudication, I would reverse because claimant presented substantial evidence and the state’s fund none. Hohnholt v. Basin Elec. Power Co-op, 784 P.2d 233 (Wyo.1989). Few, indeed, are the wizards of the law who can, by mastery of cross-examination, win factually determinable cases without evidence. Fewer by far are those who can, unless a preclusive rule of law does exist, succeed in administrative agency proceedings since the claimant will almost always testify and provide significant evidence. See In re Use Tax Assessment No. 32950, 491 P.2d 1232 and cases cited therein, including Dickinson v. United States, 346 U.S. 389, 74 S.Ct. 152, 98 L.Ed. 132 (1953) and N.L.R.B. v. Walton Mfg. Co., 369 U.S. 404, 82 S.Ct. 853, 7 L.Ed.2d 829 (1962). This was a factual case. Appellant ran the race and appellee chose not to leave the starting gate. I would not critique or demean the slow speed, if that were the case of appellant, to award victory to the non-runner.
Both the worker and his medical witness provided evidence supporting the award. See In re Use Tax Assessment No. 32950, 491 P.2d at 1234. Since the state fund supplied no contesting evidence, I would reject the hearing examiner’s conclusion which effectively disregarded the totality of the entire record. His factual conclusions were “[ujnsupported by substantial evidence.” W.S. 16-3-114(c)(ii)(E). See Ludlow v. Wortham Machinery Co., 71 Wyo. 331, 257 P.2d 358 (1953). The suspicion which we addressed in Vandehei Developers v. Public Service Com’n of Wyoming, 790 P.2d 1282 (Wyo.1990) and Edwards v. Harris, 397 P.2d 87 (Wyo.1964), at worst, prevails here. This was not a case providing conflicting expert medical testimony. See Bocek v. City of Sheridan, 432 P.2d 893 (Wyo.1967). Rather, the evi-dentiary posture of the case would fit within the principle announced in Chesapeake & O. Ry. Co. v. Martin, 283 U.S. 209, 216, 51 S.Ct. 453, 456, 75 L.Ed. 983 (1931), that, although credibility may be for the fact finder, “this does not mean that the [fact finder] is at liberty, under the guise of passing upon the credibility of a witness, to disregard his testimony, when from no reasonable point of view is it open to doubt.” The testimony of neither Dr. Madden nor claimant, Michael J. Krause, was contested or factually disproved except by advocate argument and inclusive cross-examination directed to create inconsistencies.
Lacking significant, substantial or any evidence to sustain the objection to claim payment, I would find the claimant to have won the race because he did run, and reverse the finding which is unsupported by evidence within the hearing record. In re Use Tax Assessment No. 32950, 491 P.2d 1232.

. The qualification and the expertise of the specialist whose testimony, was used to support compensability of the claim were unquestioned. Dr. John Madden, by certification, was clearly a national expert including diplómate — American Board of Surgery, diplómate; American Board of Plastic Surgery, diplómate; and American Board of Surgery, certified in hand surgery. Licensed to practice medicine in three states, he had served as a professor at four medical colleges and served as a visiting professor in over twenty United States and foreign medical schools.