Court Opinion

ID: 9881737
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-03 19:03:02.014364+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T14:14:23.111964
License: Public Domain

FILED
                                                                                                Oct 02, 2023
                                                                                               08:34 AM(CT)
                                                                                            TENNESSEE COURT OF
                                                                                           WORKERS' COMPENSATION
                                                                                                  CLAIMS

             TENNESSEE BUREAU OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
            IN THE COURT OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIMS
                             AT NASHVILLE

    Jennifer Carlson,                                    )   Docket No. 2022-06-1626
                 Employee,                               )
    v.                                                   )
    First Call Temporary Services,                       )   State File No. 46642-2022
                 Employer,                               )
    And                                                  )
    Zurich American Insurance Co.,                       )   Judge Kenneth M. Switzer
                  Carrier.                               )

                  EXPEDITED HEARING ORDER DENYING BENEFITS

        Jennifer Carlson requested an evidentiary hearing on whether she is entitled to
additional benefits for an alleged hip injury she suffered while working for First Call
Temporary Services. First Call argued that the injury did not arise primarily out of
employment. After an expedited hearing on September 27, 2023, the Court finds her
expert’s opinion on causation is speculative. Therefore, at this time, Ms. Carlson is not
entitled to the requested benefits.

                                            Claim History

       Ms. Carlson alleged that she was injured working for First Call on June 30, 2022.
Her affidavit states that after picking an order, she “felt pain in [her] lower back, left
hip/groin area and lower abdomen.”1

       First Call offered a panel, and she chose Dr. Wayne Moore. Dr. Moore saw her four
times in July. The diagnoses varied throughout several visits, but notably he found low
back pain, a sprain of the lumbar spine and pelvis, pelvic and perineal pain, and abdominal
pain. Dr. Moore’s treatment focused on Ms. Carlson’s low back symptoms.

1
 The parties previously disputed whether the alleged groin injury resulted in a hernia, but Ms. Carlson said
she was not pursuing benefits at this hearing for that injury/condition.
                                                     1
       On July 28, Dr. Moore ordered a CT scan of the pelvis and abdomen and wrote that
she should return to see him in a week. However, the scan results showed no acute
abnormalities. In an August 5 work status note, Dr. Moore wrote that he treated Ms.
Carlson for “back pain.” He advised her to see her primary care physician. Authorized
treatment ceased at that point.

        Ms. Carlson then treated on her own with an orthopedist beginning in April 2023.
She reported hip pain from a work incident, and an MRI revealed a torn labrum. Dr.
Christopher Jones noted on May 2, 2023, that he believed “her hip pain is possibly directly
related to her work injury [one] year ago. She had no pain in the hip previously, and MRI
was never obtained during her initial workup[.]” A later note read, “ I discussed with her
that its [sic] likely her work injury [that] caused her labral tear and resultant pain.” Dr.
Jones performed arthroscopic surgery in June and recommended physical therapy
afterward. Ms. Carlson has participated in therapy but has now exhausted the available
insurance benefits and cannot complete therapy or return for additional treatment.

       In a previous order, and relevant to Ms. Carson’s current requested relief, the Court
deemed admitted the following facts: Ms. Carlson suffered from chronic hip pain before
June 30, 2022; she did not experience a sudden onset of pain in her hips on that date; and
she cannot state with certainty when her alleged hip pain began.

                        Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law

       At the close of proof, First Call moved for an involuntary dismissal of the request
for expedited hearing under Rule 42.01 of the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure. The
Court took the motion under advisement but now grants it.

        In Garcia Carillo v. Sanchez Hurtado, 2023 TN Wrk. Comp. App. Bd. LEXIS 40,
at *9-10 (Aug. 16, 2023), the Appeals Board explained involuntary dismissals at this stage
of the case. The Board wrote, “[I]in the context of an expedited hearing in which an
employee seeks an interlocutory order compelling the provision of certain benefits, a
defendant in the case can, at the close of the employee’s proof, seek a ruling from the court
as to whether the employee’s evidence fails to support an interlocutory order for benefits.”
If the motion is granted, the trial court may deny the request for benefits. Id. at *10. This
is a dismissal of the employee’s requested benefits, not a dismissal of the employee’s claim
as a whole. The trial court must determine whether the employee offered sufficient
evidence to show she is likely to prevail at a hearing on the merits. Id.

       Here, Ms. Carlson offered Dr. Jones’s causation opinion to support her request. He
wrote, “I feel that her hip pain is possibly directly related to her work injury [one] year ago.
She had no pain in the hip previously, and MRI was never obtained during her initial
workup[.]” (Emphasis added).

                                               2
       That opinion falls short of what the Workers’ Compensation Law requires to prove
an “injury.” To prevail at trial, Ms. Carlson must show that her alleged injury arose
primarily out of and in the course and scope of her employment. She must show to a
reasonable degree of medical certainty that a work incident contributed more than fifty
percent in causing her need for medical treatment. Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-6-102(12)(A)-
(C). In addition, and importantly, subdivision (D) clarifies, “‘Shown to a reasonable degree
of medical certainty’ means that, in the opinion of the physician, it is more likely than not
considering all causes, as opposed to speculation or possibility.” Id. at -102(12)(D)
(Emphasis added).

       The Court finds that Dr. Jones’s use of the language “possibly directly related to her
work injury” conveys impermissible speculation and possibility. Moreover, he wrote that
she had no previous hip pain, which conflicts with Ms. Carlson’s admission that she
suffered from chronic hip pain before June 30, 2022. Therefore, the Court cannot find that
Dr. Jones considered all causes. Ms. Carlson has not satisfied her burden on this record.
The Court holds Ms. Carlson is not likely to prevail at a hearing on the merits that her hip
condition arose primarily out of and in the course and scope of employment, so involuntary
dismissal of her hearing request is appropriate.

       Ms. Carlson may obtain additional evidence and renew her request at a later hearing.

       IT IS ORDERED AS FOLLOWS:

       1. Ms. Carlson’s requests for additional medical and temporary disability benefits
          are denied at this time.

       2. A status hearing is set for November 20, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. Central Time. The
          parties must dial (615) 532-9552 or (866) 943-0025 to participate.

                                   ENTERED October 2, 2023.

                                   ________________________________________
                                   JUDGE KENNENTH M. SWITZER
                                   Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims

                                             3
                                      APPENDIX

Technical record:
   1. Petition for Benefit Determination
   2. Motion to Withdraw
   3. Order Granting Motion to Withdraw
   4. Mileage reimbursement request
   5. Status Hearing Order, November 1, 2022
   6. Status Hearing Order, December 20, 2022
   7. Dispute Certification Notice, and the Parties’ list of issues
   8. Request for Scheduling Hearing
   9. Status Hearing Order, January 18, 2023
   10. Employer’s Witness and Exhibit List, February 6, 2023
   11. Employer’s Brief, February 6, 2023
   12. Request for continuance, February 20, 2023
   13. Notice of Settlement, February 22, 2023
   14. Order Setting Status Hearing
   15. Order Resetting Status Hearing, April 25, 2023
   16. Hearing Request (Declaration is not notarized, so it’s argument not sworn
       testimony)
   17. Order Setting Expedited Hearing
   18. Employer’s Motion to Deem Requests Admitted
   19. Employer’s Witness and Exhibit List for Expedited Hearing, September 12, 2023
   20. Employer’s Pre-Hearing Statement, September 12, 2023
   21. Order Deeming Requests for Admissions as Admitted

Evidence:
   1. Ms. Carlson’s Declaration
   2. C-42 Choice of Physician form
   3. Wage statement
   4. Dr. Moore C-32
   5. Composite medical records
   6. Dr. Moore’s causation letters

                                          4
                             CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

       I certify that a copy of this Order was sent as indicated on October 2, 2023.

Name                   Certified   Regular       Email   Sent to
                       Mail        mail
Jennifer Carlson,                     X            X     101 Portland Courtyard Dr.
employee                                                 Apt. 145
                                                         Portland TN 37148
                                                         Carlson703@gmail.com
Allen Grant,                                       X     agrant@eraclides.com
Benjamin Norris,                                         bnorris@eraclides.com
employer’s attorneys

                                   _______________________________________
                                   PENNY SHRUM
                                   Clerk, Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims
                                   WC.CourtClerk@tn.gov

                                             5
                                              NOTICE OF APPEAL
                                      Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
                                        www.tn.gov/workforce/injuries-at-work/
                                        wc.courtclerk@tn.gov | 1-800-332-2667

                                                                                  Docket No.: ________________________

                                                                                  State File No.: ______________________

                                                                                  Date of Injury: _____________________

         ___________________________________________________________________________
         Employee

         v.

         ___________________________________________________________________________
         Employer

Notice is given that ____________________________________________________________________
                         [List name(s) of all appealing party(ies). Use separate sheet if necessary.]

appeals the following order(s) of the Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims to the
Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (check one or more applicable boxes and include the date file-
stamped on the first page of the order(s) being appealed):

□ Expedited Hearing Order filed on _______________ □ Motion Order filed on ___________________
□ Compensation Order filed on__________________ □ Other Order filed on_____________________
issued by Judge _________________________________________________________________________.

Statement of the Issues on Appeal
Provide a short and plain statement of the issues on appeal or basis for relief on appeal:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

Parties
Appellant(s) (Requesting Party): _________________________________________ ☐Employer ☐Employee
Address: ________________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________
Email: __________________________________________________________
Attorney’s Name: ______________________________________________ BPR#: _______________________
Attorney’s Email: ______________________________________________ Phone: _______________________
Attorney’s Address: _________________________________________________________________________
                           * Attach an additional sheet for each additional Appellant *

LB-1099 rev. 01/20                              Page 1 of 2                                              RDA 11082
Employee Name: _______________________________________ Docket No.: _____________________ Date of Inj.: _______________

Appellee(s) (Opposing Party): ___________________________________________ ☐Employer ☐Employee
Appellee’s Address: ______________________________________________ Phone: ____________________
Email: _________________________________________________________
Attorney’s Name: _____________________________________________ BPR#: ________________________
Attorney’s Email: _____________________________________________ Phone: _______________________
Attorney’s Address: _________________________________________________________________________
                              * Attach an additional sheet for each additional Appellee *

                                             CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, _____________________________________________________________, certify that I have forwarded a
true and exact copy of this Notice of Appeal by First Class mail, postage prepaid, or in any manner as described
in Tennessee Compilation Rules & Regulations, Chapter 0800-02-21, to all parties and/or their attorneys in this
case on this the __________ day of ___________________________________, 20 ____.

                                                           ______________________________________________
                                                            [Signature of appellant or attorney for appellant]

LB-1099 rev. 01/20                                 Page 2 of 2                                        RDA 11082