Juan Lopez v. Zachry Construction Corporation
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IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
NO. 2009-WC-00123-COA
JUAN LOPEZ
APPELLANT
v.
ZACHRY CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION
AND ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE
COMPANY
DATE OF JUDGMENT:
TRIAL JUDGE:
COURT FROM WHICH APPEALED:
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT:
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEES:
NATURE OF THE CASE:
TRIAL COURT DISPOSITION:
DISPOSITION:
MOTION FOR REHEARING FILED:
MANDATE ISSUED:
APPELLEES
12/15/2008
HON. JOSEPH H. LOPER, JR.
CHOCTAW COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT
JOHN HUNTER STEVENS
H. BYRON CARTER III
CIVIL - WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
CIRCUIT COURT AFFIRMED DECISION
OF COMMISSION TO AWARD
PERMANENT PARTIAL DISABILITY
BENEFITS BUT TO DENY ANY FURTHER
TEMPORARY TOTAL INDEMNITY
BENEFITS
AFFIRMED - 11/10/2009
BEFORE LEE, P.J., CARLTON AND MAXWELL, JJ.
LEE, P.J., FOR THE COURT:
PROCEDURAL HISTORY
¶1.
Juan Lopez filed a petition to controvert on February 2, 2004, alleging a work-related
accident while employed with Zachry Construction Corporation (Zachry) in Choctaw
County, Mississippi. Lopez claimed that on January 1, 2003, he injured his lower back while
lifting a piece of sheet metal. Zachry paid Lopez temporary total benefits. Lopez’s
physician, Dr. Ken Staggs, assigned a permanent impairment rating of 5% to the body as a
whole and determined that Lopez’s date of maximum medical improvement was December
2, 2003.
¶2.
After a hearing, the administrative law judge (ALJ) determined that Lopez was due
no further weeks of temporary total indemnity benefits after October 3, 2003, as Lopez
admitted that he had failed to comply with medical treatment. In regard to the issue of
permanent partial disability, the ALJ awarded Lopez permanent disability benefits of fifteen
dollars per week beginning December 2, 2003, and continuing for 450 weeks.
¶3.
The Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission (Commission) and the Circuit
Court of Leake County affirmed the decision of the ALJ. Lopez now appeals, asserting that
the Commission’s decision was contrary to law and against the overwhelming weight of the
evidence. Finding no error, we affirm.
FACTS
¶4.
On January 1, 2003, Lopez was lifting a piece of sheet metal and injured his back.
Lopez initially received treatment at a local clinic, but he continued working for Zachry until
he was laid off in May 2003. On his own initiative, Lopez was seen by another physician,
Dr. Jose Paz, who then referred Lopez to Dr. Lon Alexander, a neurosurgeon. Dr. Alexander
examined Lopez on June 11, 2003, and took Lopez off work that day. At that point, Zachry
began to pay Lopez indemnity benefits. Dr. Alexander recommended surgery, but Lopez did
not undergo surgery. Lopez was then referred to Dr. Staggs, a pain management physician.
Over the course of his appointments with Dr. Staggs, Lopez received steroid injections.
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¶5.
On October 24, 2003, Lopez underwent a functional-capacity examination. It was
determined that Lopez had a 100-pound bilateral carry. Dr. Staggs recommended that Lopez
undergo two weeks of work hardening to prepare for return to work. Dr. Staggs opined that
Lopez would be at maximum medical improvement at the completion of the two-week period
and would be temporarily limited to fifty pounds lifting. Ultimately, Lopez did not complete
the recommended physical therapy. In addition, Dr. Staggs’s notes indicate that Lopez had
been uncooperative during the course of treatment and had failed to keep appointments. On
December 2, 2003, noting that Lopez had failed to complete his therapy, Dr. Staggs stated
that Lopez was at maximum medical improvement and finally released him to a fifty-pound
weight-lifting limit. Dr. Staggs assigned a 5% impairment rating to the body as a whole.
¶6.
Dawn Paradis, a rehabilitation case manager, assisted Lopez in finding employment.
Paradis initially evaluated Lopez on November 3, 2004. Any work searches were submitted
to Dr. Staggs for his approval as to the physical requirements of the job. Post-injury, Lopez
worked for a short time installing tile and, at another time, as a Spanish translator. At the
time of trial, Lopez stated that he had not looked for employment for approximately eighteen
to twenty-four months. Lopez testified that his back had improved and that he was not taking
any prescription medication for his pain.
STANDARD OF REVIEW
¶7.
The standard of review in workers’ compensation cases is well established. The
decision of the Commission will be reversed only if it is not supported by substantial
evidence, is arbitrary or capricious, or is based on an erroneous application of the law.
Weatherspoon v. Croft Metals, Inc., 853 So. 2d 776, 778 (¶6) (Miss. 2003) (citing Smith v.
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Jackson Constr. Co., 607 So. 2d 1119, 1124 (Miss. 1992)). If the Commission’s decision
and findings of fact are “supported by substantial evidence, then we are bound by them” even
if we would have been convinced otherwise. Spann v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 700 So. 2d
308, 311 (¶12) (Miss. 1997) (citing Fought v. Stuart C. Irby Co., 523 So. 2d 314, 317 (Miss.
1988)). We exercise de novo review on matters of law. KLLM, Inc. v. Fowler, 589 So. 2d
670, 675 (Miss. 1991).
DISCUSSION
¶8.
In his only issue on appeal, Lopez argues that the decision of the Commission was not
supported by substantial evidence.
Lopez’s argument concerns the award of permanent
partial disability benefits and not the temporary total benefits. Disability is defined as
incapacity due to injury to earn the wages which the employee was receiving at the time of
the injury in the same or other employment. Miss. Code Ann. § 71-3-3(i) (Rev. 2000). If,
after reaching maximum medical improvement, the claimant has not returned to work, “the
claimant must establish either that he has sought and been unable to obtain work in similar
or other jobs or show that, upon his reaching maximum medical improvement, he reported
back to his employer and the employer refused to reinstate or rehire him.” Chestnut v. Dairy
Fresh Corp., 966 So. 2d 868, 871 (¶5) (Miss. Ct. App. 2007) (citing Hale v. Ruleville Health
Care Ctr., 687 So. 2d 1221, 1226 (Miss. 1997)).
¶9.
After being laid off from his job with Zachry, Lopez worked for approximately two
months installing tile, and for a short time, he worked as a translator. At the time of the
hearing, on September 10, 2007, Lopez testified that he had not looked for a job in the last
eighteen to twenty-four months. According to the testimony, Lopez had been unemployed
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for approximately four years. Lopez testified that he quit looking for work after his wife
gave birth to their third child in November 2004. Lopez stated that his wife’s salary and
benefits were such that it made sense for him to stay home and care for his youngest child
rather than find another job.
¶10.
The vocational expert, Paradis, periodically sent Lopez lists of available jobs. Paradis
sent Lopez approximately five available jobs in 2004 and three in 2005. It is unclear from
the record if Lopez applied for every job. Ultimately, his relationship with Paradis did not
result in any gainful employment. Lopez also testified that a former employer offered him
a job making up to $500 per week, which he declined. Lopez attempted to backtrack during
this testimony, stating that he did not consider the job offer legitimate. However, Lopez
made it clear during his testimony that he chose to stay at home and not seek employment.
¶11.
The ALJ noted Lopez’s predicament in deciding to stay at home, but determined that
this decision did not alleviate Lopez’s duty to seek employment. The ALJ ultimately found
that Lopez had not satisfied his burden of seeking alternative employment. Noting that the
evidence did support some loss of wage-earning capacity, the ALJ awarded Lopez permanent
partial disability benefits of fifteen dollars per week for 450 weeks. The Commission
affirmed the ALJ’s decision. We find substantial evidence to support the decision; thus, we
affirm.
¶12. THE JUDGMENT OF THE CHOCTAW COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT IS
AFFIRMED. ALL COSTS OF THIS APPEAL ARE ASSESSED TO THE
APPELLANT.
KING, C.J., MYERS, P.J., IRVING, GRIFFIS, BARNES, ISHEE, ROBERTS,
CARLTON AND MAXWELL, JJ., CONCUR.
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