Nettleton Sch. Dist. v. Adams
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Cite as 2010 Ark. App. 3
ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS
DIVISION I
CA09-885
No.
Opinion Delivered
NETTLETON SCHOOL DISTRICT
APPELLANT
V.
LAVEENA ADAMS
APPELLEE
January 6, 2010
APPEAL FROM THE ARKANSAS
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
COMMISSION [NO. F805329]
AFFIRMED
JOHN MAUZY PITTMAN, Judge
Nettleton School District appeals from a decision of the Arkansas Workers’
Compensation Commission, arguing that the evidence is insufficient to support the
Commission’s findings supporting its award of benefits to appellee, Laveena Adams. We
affirm.
Appellee was employed by appellant as a custodian. She injured her right upper
extremity when she slipped on a wet spot while cleaning a floor at work. Appellee reported
the accident and was treated conservatively. Her treatment was terminated when an
authorized physician, Dr. Rhodes, opined that her arm problems were not work related and
released her to full duty. Appellee, still unable to use her hand, then sought treatment from
other physicians, Drs. Moore and Rutherford, without petitioning for a change of physician.
She was ultimately diagnosed with vasospasm resulting from the blunt trauma to her arm, and
Cite as 2010 Ark. App. 3
additional medical treatments were recommended to assist with healing. Based on appellee’s
history, Dr. Rutherford opined that appellee’s problems were directly and solely attributable
to her work-related injury. Appellee filed a claim for benefits for continued temporary total
disability and for the treatment she received after being released by Dr. Rhodes. Appellant
argued that appellee’s problems were not work related and that the subsequent treatment was
unauthorized. The Commission found that appellee’s continuing temporary disability and
need for treatment were work related, and that she was not barred from obtaining benefits
for the unauthorized treatments because she had never received a copy of Commission form
AR-N explaining the procedure for obtaining a change of physician. Appellant argues on
appeal that these findings were erroneous.
In essence, the work-relatedness issue in the present case is no more than a question
of the credibility of appellee and of the opposing medical opinions, which are matters within
the sole province of the Commission. See Poulan Weed Eater v. Marshall, 79 Ark. App. 129,
84 S.W.3d 878 (2002). Here, the Commission expressly credited the testimony of appellee
and Dr. Rutherford. It is well established that, when the Commission chooses to accept the
testimony of one physician over that of another regarding conflicting medical evidence, the
appellate court is powerless to reverse the decision. See, e.g., Cole v. Commerce & Industry
Insurance Co., 2009 Ark. App. 617.
The change-of-physician question is similarly
straightforward: appellee testified that, although she signed a copy of form AR-N at the
request of her employer, she was not provided with a copy and was unable to examine the
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CA09-885
Cite as 2010 Ark. App. 3
change-of-physician procedure printed on the back of the form. This testimony was found
to be credible and, because it can reasonably be inferred from this evidence that a copy of
form AR-N was not “furnished and delivered” to appellee as required by statute, we hold that
it was substantial evidence to support the Commission’s finding. See Sharp v. Lewis Ford, Inc.,
78 Ark. App. 164, 78 S.W.3d 746 (2002).
Affirmed.
HART and GLADWIN, JJ., agree.
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CA09-885
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