Court of Appeals Affrims Award of TTD Benefits, Medical Expenses and Penalties

In Polaris Industries, Inc. v. Doty, No. 16-0961 (Iowa App. Jan. 25, 2017), the COA affirmed the decision of the agency finding that claimant had established eligibility for TTD benefits, medical expenses and penalty.  Claimant was diagnosed with impingement syndrome, which defendants' original orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Hough, related to claimant's work.  Dr. Hough, following an MRI showing a rotator cuff tear, recommended surgery.  Rather than proceeding with the surgery, defendants had Dr. Blow, a physical medicine doctor, perform a defense medical exam.  Dr. Blow concluded the problems were age related and did not recommend surgery.  Dr. Blow placed claimant at MMI, despite the facto that she had not had surgery.  Dr. Hough subsequently recommended surgery again and placed her on restrictions.  Dr. Hines, who performed an IME for claimant, found causation and also recommended surgery.

The hearing deputy found it was a strain to accept that claimant's condition was not related to work.  The deputy credited Dr. Hough and Dr. Hines and ordered TTD benefits, a small amount of medical expenses and penalties in the amount of 25% of past due TTD benefits.  On appeal, the commissioner affirmed and noted that penalty was appropriate because defendants failed to contemporaneously convey the basis of the denial to claimant.

The COA affirms in all respects.  The court concludes that despite the fact that the employer tried to "massage the factual record on appeal," this did not unsettle the substantial evidence supporting the commissioner's assessment of the doctors' viewpoints.  The court concluded that TTD and medical benefits were appropriate as the decision of the commissioner was supported by substantial evidence.
On the penalty issue, the court noted that the reason for granting penalty benefits was different at the arbitration and appeal levels.  The deputy awarded penalty because Dr. Blow's opinion did not transform claimant's entitlement to benefits into the fairly debatable realm because he ignored facts in the company's own records.  The commissioner found that Dr. Blow's conclusion did make the question fairly debatable, but concluded defendants had not provided the notice required by the statute.  The court concludes that penalties were appropriate, stating that any delay without a reasonable excuse entitles the employee to penalty benefits in some amount.  The record did not demonstrate that defendants had contemporaneously conveyed the reasons for denial to claimant and penalty was therefore appropriate.

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