Court Opinion

ID: 9629784
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 09:49:16.649726+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:07:23.783233
License: Public Domain

DISSENTING OPINION BY
Judge McGINLEY.
I respectfully dissent to the majority’s conclusion that “[biased on the facts as found by the WCJ, the only substantial evidence was that Claimant could work full-time, and it was within the Board’s *603province to make the WCJ’s findings conform to the award.” (footnote omitted).
In the present matter, the WCJ found that Claimant was capable of returning only to part-time work of twenty hours per week. See WCJ’s Findings of Fact No. 1 at 6. Upon review of the record the Board modified the WCJ’s award and reduced Claimant’s compensation rate to reflect Claimant’s ability to perform light duty work full time. I believe that both the WCJ and the Board erred for the following reasons.
First, the WCJ’s conclusion that Claimant was only capable of working 20 hours per week is inconsistent with the testimony of Dr. Kasdan which the WCJ found credible. Dr. Kasdan stated the following:
Q: Based on your physical examination as well as your review of the medical records, did you have an opinion, within a reasonable degree of medical certainty, as to whether or not Mr. Morelia [Claimant] was able to return to work in some capacity on December 9, 2003?
A: Yes.
Q: And what was your opinion?
A: That he could perform a light-duty job 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week that limited his lifting capacity to 20 pounds but without significant limitation of sitting, standing, et cetera.
Q: Is that opinion stated within a reasonable degree of medical certainty?
A: Yes, it is.
Q: Would he have been able to perform work of that nature on a full or part-time basis?
A: Full time.
Deposition of Richard Kasdan, M.D. August 4, 2004, at 13-14; Reproduced Record (R.R.) at 266-67.
A WCJ is not permitted to substitute her own medical knowledge in making her ruling and must make findings based on the evidence contained in the record. Zeigler v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (Jones Apparel Group, Inc.), 728 A.2d 421 (Pa.Cmwlth.1999). The credited medical evidence in the record does not support the WCJ’s finding that Claimant could only work part-time hours.1 Therefore, the WCJ erred.
Second, the Board erred when it modified the WCJ’s award and credited Dr. Kasdan’s opinion that Claimant could work full time hours, not part time hours. The Board’s function in reviewing a decision of the WCJ is primarily appellate in nature. Bethenergy Mines, Inc. v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (Skirpan), 531 Pa. 287, 612 A.2d 434 (1992). The WCJ is the ultimate fact finder in a workers’ compensation ease and it is the WCJ’s role to assess credibility and resolve conflicts in the testimony. Id. The Board’s role is to simply determine whether, upon consideration of the evidence as a whole, the WCJ’s findings have the requisite measure of support in the record. Id. Here, the Board erred when it assessed the credibility of Dr. Kasdan and modified the WCJ’s award by finding, as a fact, that Claimant *604could work full time hours when the WCJ failed to credit that portion of Dr. Kas-dan’s opinion.
Therefore, I would reverse the Board and remand with the direction that the Board remand to the WCJ to make necessary credibility determinations and make findings supported by substantial evidence.

. Claimant argues that Gerard A. Myers’, D.O. (Dr. Myers) testimony supports the WCJ’s finding that Claimant could work only part-time hours. I must disagree. Dr. Myers opined generally that Claimant was disabled and could not work. Deposition of Dr. Gerard A. Myers (Dr. Myers Deposition), December 15, 2004, at 34; R.R. at 121. Dr. Myers later testified that although he believed Claimant could not work he stated that ”[i]f Mr. Morelia [Claimant] wanted to try that [a job that was light-duty and sedentary], I wouldn't hold him back from doing that.” Dr. Myers Deposition at 42; R.R. at 129. In any event, Dr. Myers did not offer an opinion as to the number of hours Claimant was capable of working if he tried a light-duty, sedentary job.