Court Opinion

ID: 993484
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2013-07-04 00:08:25.205614+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:11:19.128851
License: Public Domain

UNPUBLISHED

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT

JESSIE GEDDIS,
Petitioner,

v.

CERES MARINE TERMINALS,
                                                               No. 96-2583
INCORPORATED; DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF
WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS,
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR,
Respondents.

On Petition for Review of an Order
of the Benefits Review Board.
(95-900)

Submitted: October 7, 1997

Decided: November 10, 1997

Before WILLIAMS and MICHAEL, Circuit Judges, and
PHILLIPS, Senior Circuit Judge.

_________________________________________________________________

Petition denied by unpublished per curiam opinion.

_________________________________________________________________

COUNSEL

Ralph R. Lorberbaum, ZIPPERER & LORBERBAUM, P.C., Savan-
nah, Georgia, for Petitioner. Stephen E. Darling, SINKLER &
BOYD, P.A., Charleston, South Carolina, for Respondents.

_________________________________________________________________
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit. See
Local Rule 36(c).

_________________________________________________________________

OPINION

PER CURIAM:

Jessie L. Geddis petitions for review of the statutorily mandated
order of the Benefits Review Board (Board)* affirming the decision
of an administrative law judge (ALJ) denying Geddis' application for
benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation
Act (the Act), 33 U.S.C.A. §§ 901-950 (West 1994 & Supp. 1997).
Because substantial evidence supports the ALJ's decision and there
were no errors of law, see Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock
Co. v. Parker, 935 F.2d 20, 22-23 (4th Cir. 1991), we deny the peti-
tion for review.

Geddis alleged that he was injured on February 14, 1993. He
claimed that when he was working for Ceres Marine Terminals he
breathed fumes which aggravated his asthma, rendering him unable
to work. Geddis thus alleged that his injury was work-related, and he
was entitled to the statutory presumption of coverage under the Act.
See 33 U.S.C.A. § 920(a); Universal Maritime Corp. v. Moore, ___
F.3d ___ (4th Cir. Sept. 16, 1997) (No. 96-2612). Ceres' evidence
was sufficient to rebut the statutory presumption. See id. Of particular
note are doctors' opinions that it was chest trauma incident to a motor
vehicle accident on February 16, 1993, that exacerbated Geddis' con-
dition. The presumption having been rebutted, the ALJ was bound to
weigh the evidence in the record. See id.
_________________________________________________________________
*The Board issued no opinion, but affirmed the ALJ's decision by
operation of law when it failed to act on his appeal of the ALJ's decision
within one year. Congress has mandated that certain cases pending
before the Board for more than one year are considered affirmed for pur-
poses of seeking judicial review. See Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions
and Appropriations Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-134,§ 101(d), 110
Stat. 1321, 1321-29 (1996). Geddis' complaint that the matter is not ripe
for judicial review is thus without merit.

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Substantial evidence supports the ALJ's finding that Geddis was
not entitled to benefits. Geddis had a longstanding history of asthma
but had worked for years despite his condition. He complained to no
one about exposure to fumes after the alleged incident. He informed
doctors who treated him after his motor vehicle accident that he was
doing well and his asthma was under control until the accident. His
treating physicians concluded that there was a causal relationship
between the trauma of the accident and the exacerbation of his asth-
matic bronchitis and bronchospasm. A physician who examined Ged-
dis in January 1994 described occupational asthma"as a speculation."
The doctor observed that no specific offending agent had been identi-
fied. He concluded that Geddis did not manifest true occupational
asthma.

Besides Geddis, two longshoremen testified at the hearing before
the ALJ. Neither, however, had worked on any Ceres ships with Ged-
dis. Their testimony thus was of no relevance to whether Geddis was
injured as claimed.

Because the evidence supports the ALJ's finding, we deny the peti-
tion for review. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and
legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before us
and argument would not aid the decisional process.

PETITION DENIED

                    3