Court Opinion

ID: 9754918
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 20:18:27.848789+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:00.723511
License: Public Domain

Josephine Linker Hart, Jholds that appellant’s claim for dissenting. The majority holds that appellant’s claim for medical benefits related to his shoulder surgery was untimely because, as provided in Ark. Code Ann. § 11 — 9—702(b)(1) (Repl. 2002), he failed to file a claim for additional compensation either within one year from the last payment of compensation on May 8, 2000, or within two years from his September 15, 1998, injury. The majority’s reliance on this statute is misplaced, however, as the shoulder surgery was part of his initial claim for compensation. Appellant’s claim was timely because, as provided in Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-702(a)(1), appellant filed his initial compensation claim on June 17, 1999, within two years from the date of his September 15, 1998, injury. Following his injury and his filing of his initial claim for compensation, appellant was seen by Dr. Reed Kilgore, who noted on December 27, 1999, that appellant would undergo diagnostic tests to determine whether he needed either “open rotator cuff surgery” or “arthroscopic subacromial decompression with possible distal clavicle resection.” Dr. Kilgore noted on March 8, 2000, that if appellant had “multiple recurrences” of pain, he would “probably require distal clavicle resection.” On May 8, 2000, Dr. Kilgore wrote that appellant understood that he might need “AC resection arthroplasty for complete and permanent relief of his symptoms” and that if he had “worsening,” he would “require arthroscopy and AC distal clavicle resection, which he can schedule if he wishes.” According to appellant, he continued to have problems with his shoulder. On June 13, 2003, Dr. John Yocum performed an “[ajrthroscopy of the right shoulder with arthroscopic repair of SLAP lesion and arthroscopic Bankart repair with debridement of labral tear.” The majority does not dispute that appellant filed a timely initial claim for compensation. Further, the medical records noted above established that, within months after appellant filed his claim, he was considered a candidate for surgery. Thus, I would conclude that appellant’s initial claim for compensation remained open, as surgery was not performed even though he was a candidate for surgery. In the case relied on by the majority, Petit Jean Air Service v. Wilson, 251 Ark. 871, 475 S.W.2d 531 (1972), a claim for additional compensation was held to be untimely where, following the filing of his initial claims for compensation, the claimant received final lump-sum settlement and was seen for the last time by every examining physician, and the claimant then filed his claim for additional compensation after the time for filing such a claim had run. Certainly, the claimant’s initial claim for compensation ended after he received his settlement and was seen for the last time by his physicians, and thereafter, the claimant would have to file a timely claim for additional compensation. In the case at bar, however, there was no lump-sum settlement, and appellant’s physician had not released him. Rather, appellant’s initial claim for compensation remained open because appellees knew that appellant was a surgical candidate and because appellees had not sought dismissal of the claim as permitted by Ark. Code Ann. § 11-9-702(a) (4) and by W.C.C. Rule 13 (Mar. 1982). See Johnson v. Triple T Foods, 55 Ark. App. 83, 929 S.W.2d 730 (1996). Consequently, I would reverse and remand for consideration of the merits of appellant’s claim. I respectfully dissent. Crabtree, J., joins.