State ex rel. Metz v. GTC, Inc.
Annotate this CaseClaimant was injured at work and later applied for permanent-total-disability benefits. The Industrial Commission denied the application. Claimant later filed a second application supported a letter from his treating physician, Dr. Karl Metz. The Commission also submitted a report from Dr. Steven Van Auken. A staff hearing officer denied permanent total disability based on the two reports. Claimant filed a complaint for a writ of mandamus alleging that the Commission abused its discretion because it failed to consider additional restrictions placed on him in the two reports. A magistrate concluded that the Commission did not abuse its discretion by relying on the reports of Drs. Metz and Van Auken. The court of appeals adopted the magistrate’s conclusions of law regarding Van Auken’s opinion but issued a limited writ of mandamus ordering the Commission to clarify Dr. Metz’s opinion or to obtain additional medical evidence. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that the court of appeals abused its discretion in granting the limited writ because its decision was based on speculation that there was a possible conflict in Dr. Metz’s report that could be construed to bar sedentary employment, which did not, by itself, justify the issuance of a limited writ.
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