Court Opinion

ID: 9731071
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 15:32:10.266237+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:12.319804
License: Public Domain

LAMBERT, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
Respectfully, I dissent. In my opinion, the Workers’ Compensation Board was correct in its conclusion that the term “objective medical findings” was intended by the legislature to include a medical diagnosis which was based upon direct observation and which was made using standardized methods. For that reason, I would reverse.
In adopting the definition of “injury” which is contained in KRS 342.0011(1) the legislature provided that a diagnosis of a harmful change must be supported by “objective medical findings.” KRS 342.0011(33) provides that:
“Objective medical findings” means information gained through direct observation and testing of the patient applying objective or standardized methods.
In my opinion, it is significant that KRS 342.0011(1) requires “objective medical findings” rather than “objective medical evidence.” In view of this choice of words, I am persuaded that the legislature did not intend to require that the diagnosis of a harmful change must be supported by diagnostic medical studies.
Even the American Medical Association’s Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (Guides) discusses the *764crucial role which the “art” of medicine plays in the practice of medicine, stating as follows:
The physician’s judgment and his or her experience, training, skill, and thoroughness in examining the patient and applying the findings to Guides criteria will be factors in estimating the degree of the patient’s impairment. These attributes compose part of the ‘art’ of medicine, which, together with a foundation in science, constitute the essence of medical practice. The evaluator should understand that other considerations will also apply, such as the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, reproducibility, and interpretation of laboratory tests and clinical procedures, and variability among observers’ interpretations of the tests and procedures, (p. ⅜, AMA Guides, 4th Edition)
The legislature has placed great reliance upon the Guides when drafting Chapter 342. In view of the value which the Guides clearly place on the art of medicine as well as the science of medicine, I am persuaded that the definition of “objective medical findings” was intended to embrace a diagnosis which was reached through direct observation and grounded upon standardized methods as well as a diagnosis which was reached through direct observation and diagnostic testing.
In the instant case, Drs. Banerjee and Seifer agreed with regard to the standardized method for diagnosing post-concussive syndrome. After evaluating the claimant in March and December, 1997, Dr. Baner-jee was not persuaded that the claimant suffered from the condition. In contrast, Dr. Seifer, the treating physician, directly observed the claimant, employed the standardized method for making a diagnosis, and concluded that the claimant did suffer from the condition. The ALJ was persuaded by the opinion of Dr. Seifer. In view of the foregoing, the evidence compelled a finding that the claimant suffered an “injury” as defined by KRS 342.0011(1).
GRAVES and STUMBO, JJ., join this dissenting opinion.