Supreme Court Decision in Schutjer v. Algona Manor Care Center
In Schutjer v. Algona Manor Care Center , 780 NW2d 549 (Iowa 2010), the court was faced with four issues: 1) the correct rate; 2) whether TTD and TPD benefits were owed; 3) entitlement to PPD benefits; and 4) penalty. The commissioner had agreed with the employer on all four of these issues, but the district court determined that the rate had been improperly calculated and that the commissioner had incorrectly refused to provide temporary benefits for certain days between 12/2/02 and 1/4/03. In view of the decision on the rate issue, the district court remanded the penalty issue to the commissioner. The court of appeals agreed with the district court insofar as the above items were concerned ( TTD , rate, penalty), but also concluded that the commissioner had not properly analyzed the question of Schutjer's eligibility for temporary benefits after she left work on 1/5/03, and had failed to provide adequate detail concerning the decision that there was no permanent disabil...