A Capehart Scatchard Blog

Appellate Division Rejects Reopener of High Percentage Award

By on April 13, 2018 in Awards, NJ Workers' Comp with 0 Comments

New Jersey employers like reopener claims about as much as homeowners like back-to-back blizzards.  The general view is that employers have virtually no defenses and have to pay more with each reopener. The truth is that employers can win reopener cases where the petitioner’s expert cannot really prove the petitioner’s condition has worsened since the prior award.  Garces v. Mid-State Lumber Corp, A-4199-15T4 (App. Div. April 10, 2018) provides a good example.

Petitioner suffered two compensable accidents on October 16, 2009 and December 11, 2009 leading to an order approving settlement for 66.67 percent partial permanent disability described as orthopedic and neurologic in nature for residuals of a herniated disc L3-4 and L4-5 status post lumbar laminectomy and fusion.  Respondent received a credit of 27.5% for previous disability.

On June 15, 2013, some fifteen months after entry of the award of 66.67% petitioner filed to reopen his case.  Petitioner testified in the reopener, and he produced two experts.  Dr. Becan was petitioner’s orthopedic expert, and Dr. Peter Crain was petitioner’s psychiatric expert.  The treating surgeon, Dr. Carl Giordano, saw petitioner and concluded petitioner needed no further treatment.

Dr. Becan saw petitioner twice, once in 2011 before the first award and again in 2014 for the reopener examination.  He raised his estimate to 90% of partial total.  On the reopener exam he wrote that petitioner’s disability had increased by 20% of partial total. When asked about the objective findings that supported the increase, he said petitioner “walked with a guarded and antalgic gait pattern,” “had a noticeable limp on the right,” and “was unable to heal or to walk on his right leg.”  He also found “right-sided sacroiliac joint tenderness.”  He noted restrictions when he put petitioner through various maneuvers like straight leg raising.

On cross examination, Dr. Becan conceded that many if not most of his restrictions were the same as they were in 2011.  The two reports were compared, and it turned out that petitioner’s range of motion tests were actually better in 2014 than in 2011.  Petitioner’s muscle strength testing of the quadriceps and hamstring was better.  The right ankle jerk reflex had improved.  Backward extension was the same, and straight leg raising improved.

The Judge of Compensation examined the two reports closely and concluded that Dr. Becan’s findings on the new 2014 examination were not worse at all.  He further noted that while Dr. Becan said petitioner could not return to work, the doctor did not know what petitioner’s job duties were.  The Judge concluded that Dr. Becan had simply offered a net opinion, which is an opinion not supported by any evidence.  The Judge also noted that petitioner’s psychiatric expert, Dr. Crain, had done the same thing.  He also failed to offer any objective evidence of worsening.

The Judge of Compensation dismissed petitioner’s reopener claim and petitioner appealed.  The Appellate Division made short work of the appeal and commented that there was sufficient credible evidence to support the dismissal of petitioner’s case.

The case illustrates an important point.  In valuing a reopener claim, practitioners often focus on the percentage increase that the expert for the claimant offers.  But the better way to value a reopener case is to look beyond the mere estimate of increased disability and compare the pre- and post- award reports side by side.  If the actual measurements, range of motion and findings are the same or better on reopener, it doesn’t matter that the claimant’s doctor raised his or her estimate.  The percentage of increase in an IME means nothing if the actual test results appear to be the same.   There are other ways to win reopeners as well, such as proving that a new non-work event or new employment has worsened the petitioner’s condition.  All of these approaches do give respondents a fighting chance in defending reopeners.

Share

Tags:

About the Author

About the Author:

John H. Geaney, Esq. is a Shareholder and Co-Chair of Capehart Scatchard's Workers' Compensation Group. Mr. Geaney began an email newsletter entitled “Currents in Workers’ Compensation, ADA and FMLA” in 2001 in order to keep clients and readers informed on leading developments in these three areas of law. Since that time he has written over 500 newsletter updates.

Mr. Geaney is the author of Geaney’s New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Manual for Practitioners, Adjusters & Employers. The Manual is distributed by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education (NJICLE). He also authored an ADA and FMLA Manual also distributed by NJICLE. If you are interested in purchasing “Geaney’s New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Manual for Practitioners, Adjusters & Employers,” please contact NJICLE at 732-214-8500 or visit their website at www.njicle.com.

Mr. Geaney represents employers in the defense of workers’ compensation, ADA and FMLA matters. He is a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers of the American Bar Association. He is one of two firm representatives to the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network.

A graduate of Holy Cross College summa cum laude, Mr. Geaney obtained his law degree from Boston College Law School.

Mr. Geaney was selected to the “New Jersey Super Lawyer” list (2005-2017, 2021 in the area of Workers’ Compensation). Only 5% of attorneys are selected to “Super Lawyers” through a peer nominated process based on independent research and peer evaluation. The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thomson Reuters. For a description of the “Super Lawyers” selection methodology, please visit https://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html

For the years 2022-2024 Mr. Geaney was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® list in the practice area of Workers’ Compensation Law - Employers. The attorneys on this list are selected based upon the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. A complete description of The Best Lawyers in America® methodology can be viewed via their website at https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology.

*No aspect of this advertisement has been submitted to or approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Capehart Scatchard is a full service law firm with offices in Mt. Laurel and Hamilton, New Jersey. The firm represents employers and businesses in a wide variety of areas, including workers’ compensation, civil litigation, labor, environmental, business, estates and governmental affairs.

.

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Top