Court Opinion

ID: 9682572
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 08:13:59.164755+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:40.133248
License: Public Domain

Carleton Harris, Chief Justice, dissenting. I do not reach the question of jurisdiction, since it is my opinion that claimant did not suffer a compensable injury. Tidwell’s difficulties were occasioned by diseased carotid arteries, and from the way I read the record, the work he was doing only caused the symptoms of that disease to appear. The numbness he described and the blurring of his vision were simply symptoms of a partially blocked artery, and in fact, these symptoms enabled the correct medical diagnosis to be made. I cannot find from the record any disability that he suffered. The disability occasioned by a blocked artery is a stroke, and no one contends that Mr. Tidwell suffered a stroke. In fact, in the testimony of the physician relied upon by appellee, Dr. Jim Moore, there is frequent use of the word, “symptoms”. For instance, in his January 3, 1969, report, Dr. Moore described his diagnosis as follows: “Basically, it is my feeling that this patient, although he had some pre-existing atheromatous plaque in the carotid arteries, had an aggravation of his symptoms [My emphasis] by the exertional episodes required in his working activities as outlined and as occurred on or about August 5, 1968.” Further: “I don’t think the plaque itself was caused by a single episode of exertion; stress, aging, all of these factors have to bear. I think this patient’s symptoms, [My emphasis] as they developed, were on a basis of aggravation from exertion.” Still further: “I feel this plaque had been present for an indefinite and undetermined period of time, had been steadily progressive, likely. Probably, certainly, had been there before this episode, but I think that the fact that the exertion tended to require an increase in oxygen supply to the brain, it’s most likely to cause this patient’s initial symptoms, [My emphasis] so far as the history as was given to me.” It is interesting to note that during a six weeks period when Tidwell was not working at all, he still complained that his arms and legs were ‘‘going to sleep” and his vision was not good. I repeat that these were simply symptoms of the disease, which had progressed at that time to an extent that these symptoms appeared at rest as well as at work. I would reverse.