Court Opinion

ID: 9667551
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 01:48:55.405094+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:38.842443
License: Public Domain

WH. “Dub” Arnold, Chief Justice. dissenting. There is no doubt that substantial evidence exists to support the Workers’ Compensation Commission’s decision in this case. Contrary to Est-ridge’s representation to his physicians that he had had no prior back problems, this was not true. He had a history of “chronic back problems,” as the majority admits, and had been treated several times for pulled muscles and muscle spasms prior to the crosstie incident. Next, as the majority again admits, though Estridge underwent surgery as the result of an initial diagnosis of herniated discs caused by lifting the crosstie, it developed during the surgery that the real cause of his back problems was a pre-existing degenerative disease. Thus, you have proof positive that Estridge had suffered from chronic back problems prior to the incident and that his ailment was not due to herniation at all but to a degenerative condition. During deposition, Dr. Zachary Mason, Estridge’s surgeon, was asked whether Estridge’s degenerative condition was caused by the lifting incident. He answered: No, I can’t state that within a reasonable degree of medical certainty. I can only go by the patient’s history. That is, he developed pain after the lifting incident. Nor could he state within a reasonable degree of medical certainty that the facet hypertrophy became worse after the lifting of the crosstie. When Dr. Mason later testified that the lifting incident caused more than fifty percent of Estridge’s back problem, that opinion appeared to be based on a disc injury which did not exist. We are left then with the prescription of Dr. Douglas Owens for Valium “as needed for muscle spasm” as the sole basis for reversing the Commission. A prescription does not equate to medical findings or evidence of a causal connection between injury and medical treatment. There is no proof that Dr. Owens observed or found muscle spasm following the lifting. And, as already stated, Estridge had a pre-existing history of back problems and muscle spasms. Our standard of review in Workers’ Compensation Commission cases is well established. This court views the evidence in the light most favorable to the Commission’s decision and affirms when that decision is supported by substantial evidence. Tucker v. Roberts-McNutt, Inc., 342 Ark. 511, 29 S.W.2d 706 (2000). Substantial evidence exists if fair-minded persons could reach the same conclusion when considering the same facts. Id. Stated differently, the issue on appeal is not whether the reviewing court might have reached a different result from that of the Commission or whether the evidence would have supported a contrary finding. If reasonable minds could reach the Commission’s conclusion, the court must affirm its decision. Hapney v. Rheem Manufacturing Co., 342 Ark. 11, 26 S.W.3d 777 (2000). In a case such as the one at hand, where the Commission denied benefits because the claimant failed to meet his burden of proof, the substantial evidence standard of review requires us to affirm if the Commission’s decision presents a substantial basis for denial of relief. Crudup v. Regal Ware, Inc., 341 Ark. 804, 20 S.W.3d 900 (2000). Furthermore, it is within the Commission’s sole discretion to determine the credibility of each witness and the weight to be given to their testimony. Crudup, 341 Ark. at 809, 20 S.W.3d at 904. As stated by the majority, it is well settled that the Commission has the authority to accept or reject medical opinion and also has the authority to determine the opinion’s medical soundness and probative force. See Tucker, 342 Ark. 511, 29 S.W.3d 706 (court stated that Commission is not required to believe the testimony of any witness and may accept and translate into findings of fact only those portions of testimony it deems worthy of belief); see also Hope v. Livestock Auction Company v. Kingston, 67 Ark. App. 165, 992 S.W.2d 826 (1999). The point is that the Commission’s decision was supported by substantial evidence, and the Commission weighs the credibility of witnesses — not the judiciary. Were I on the Commission, I might have decided this case differently, but our standard of review is whether substantial evidence supports the Commission’s decision. In my opinion, it does. I would affirm the Commission. Imber, J„ and SMITH, J„ join.