Court Opinion

ID: 9703707
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 00:05:33.549055+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:51.307867
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE MORAN, concurring: While I join the opinion and judgment of the court, I write separately to focus attention on proof of causality where, as here, the alleged compensable injury is a consequence of repetitive trauma. This court stated in Johnson v. Industrial Com. (1982), 89 Ill. 2d 438, that repetitive-trauma injuries are compensable under the Workers’ Compensation Act where there is sufficient evidence of causation in the record. The Johnson court was unable to conclude, on the record before it, that the alleged repetitive-trauma injury was work related because “[i]n none of the numerous medical reports in evidence was an opinion expressed that her condition was caused, or could have been caused, by her steering of the carts.” (89 Ill. 2d 438, 443.) Thus, in Johnson, the claimant was unable to recover under the Act because she failed to establish a causal connection between her “daily work of loading and maneuvering the [food] cart” and the development of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. In the instant case, as in Johnson, we have the same repetitive-trauma injury — bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Also, as in Johnson, we are faced with determining whether or not the record contains evidence to establish that the repetitive nature of claimant’s employment caused her injury. While the majority finds the requisite causal connection, it does so tersely and without elaboration by stating that “[t]he medical testimony the claimant presented was uncontroverted.” (115 Ill. 2d at 530.) On my reading of the record, this is true. However, standing alone it gives little guidance as to what evidence is sufficient to establish causality in repetitive-trauma, workers’ compensation cases. I believe that the record in this case, unlike the record in Johnson, contains facts sufficient to affirm the finding of the arbitrator that the claimant’s carpal tunnel syndrome was a work-related, repetitive-trauma injury. For example, the claimant testified that she operated two commercial laundry machines. She stated that each machine contains three separate washing compartments, each equipped with a spring-hinged door. The claimant further testified that she usually completed six loads of laundry per machine, with each load requiring that she open and close the door of the three compartments. She testified that opening the spring-hinged doors required that she “pull down and pull out” on the door handle. According to claimant’s testimony, on a typical work day, she opened the doors using the “pull down and pull out” maneuver 36 times. She also closed the doors 36 times. Claimant’s testimony on this point was uncontradicted. The record in the instant case also contains at least three separate diagnoses of carpal tunnel syndrome. In addition, the claimant submitted a report by Horacio R. Rivero, M.D., her medical expert, who expressly concluded that claimant’s injury was a result of the “repetitive continuous motion and strain impossed [sic] to the element of the carpal tunnel, while in the process of her employment (handling large laundry machines), whereby she developed typical symptoms of bilateral carpal tunnel, being worse on the left side, requiring immediate surgery, and having the right one aggravated by continued work in this same job, further necessitating equal surgery.” Dr. Rivero’s report was unrebutted. These facts clearly distinguish the present case from Johnson. The claimant’s specific and unrefuted testimony of the repetitive movements involved in her employment, together with Dr. Rivero’s unrefuted conclusion that claimant’s employment caused her injury, amply supports the arbitrator’s finding of causality and the majority’s affirmance thereof. Because the claimant did establish the requisite causal connection to sustain a claim under the Act, I concur.