Parsons v. WSI | |||||||
20130197 |
Warren Parsons, Appellant
v. Workforce Safety and Insurance Fund, Appellee | ||||||
Appeal from: |
District Court,
Northeast Judicial District,
Ramsey County
Judge Donovan John Foughty | ||||||
Nature of Action: | Workers Compensation | ||||||
Counsel: |
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Term: | 10/2013  Argument: 10/01/2013 | ||||||
ND cite: | 2013 ND 235 | ||||||
NW cite: |
841 N.W.2d 404
Listen to recording of oral argument in MP3 format | ||||||
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Issues: |
Appellant's Statement of the Issues: 1. Whether the ALJ's factual findings that Parsons sustained a work-related cervical strain and a microscopic tear to his discs resulting in discogenic and myofascial pain requires an award under the Act. 2. Whether the Act bars compensation for Parson's work-related disc tear as not morphologically or structurally "significant" as to be visualized on an MRI. 3. Whether the Act bars a claim for benefits because the work injury eventually resolves or cannot resolve because it combined with a preexisting condition to be of a longer duration than would otherwise be the case. 4. Whether the ALJ's finding that Parsons' preexisting asymptomatic degenerative disc disease made him vulnerable and susceptible to these injuries to the intervertebral discs in his cervical spine is a complete defense as a noncompensable natural progression of a preexisting condition under N.D.C.C. 65-01-02(10)(b)(7). . 5. Whether Parsons' work injury that resulted in the above described physical injuries and chronic myofascial pain is compensable under N.D.C.C. 65-01-02(10)(b)(7) by acting on a preexisting susceptibility, or whether the work injury must be the sole cause of his damages. 6. Whether the ALJ has adequately addressed the substantial medical evidence favorable to Parsons. Appellee's Statement of the Issues: [1] Could reasonable minds have reasonably found Parsons failed to prove that he sustained a compensable injury? [2] Did the Administrative Law Judge properly apply N.D.C.C. 65-01-02(10)(b)(7) in determining that Parsons's pre-existing Cervical degenerative disc disease was neither substantially worsened in severity nor substantially accelerated in progression? [3] Did the Administrative Law Judge properly apply N.D.C.C. 65-05-08.3 when he determined that opinions of WSI's IME physician, Dr. Janssen were more credible and persuasive than those of Dr. Fleissner, the treating provider? [4] Must Parsons's request for attorney's fees be denied because he has not established that WSI acted without substantial justification? | ||||||
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1 | 06/27/2013 NOTICE OF APPEAL: 06/27/2013 | |
2 | 07/09/2013 DISK-Transcript of Administrative Agency Hearing dated March 6, 2012 (e-mailed) | |
3 | 07/18/2013 ELEC. RECORD ON APPEAL DATED July 18, 2013 (ENTRY NOS.1-38)(2012-CV-00145) | |
4 | 07/18/2013 ELEC. RECORD ON APPEAL DATED July 18, 2013 (ENTRY NOS.1-37)(2012-CV-00342) | |
5 | 08/06/2013 APPELLANT BRIEF (PDF) (2012-CV-00145) | |
6 | 08/06/2013 E-FILED BRIEF (PDF) | |
7 | 08/06/2013 APPELLANT APPENDIX | |
8 | 08/06/2013 E-FILED APPENDIX | |
9 | 08/09/2013 Rec'd $25 surcharge for the ATB & ATA (receipt #22007) | |
10 | 08/12/2013 AMENDED ELEC. RECORD ON APPEAL DATED August 12, 2013 (ENTRY NOS.1-39) | |
11 | 08/12/2013 Rec'd 2-Disc listed on event #16 from district court (sent by U.S.) | |
12 | 08/13/2013 Rec'd 7 copies of the ATB & 6 copies of the ATA | |
13 | 08/19/2013 ELEC. SUPP. RECORD ON APPEAL DATED AUGUST 19, 2013 (ENTRY NOS. 40-41) (SENT BY U.S. MAIL #41) | |
14 | 08/21/2013 Rec'd Register of Actions record item #41 from district court | |
15 | 09/05/2013 APPELLEE BRIEF (PDF) | |
16 | 09/05/2013 E-FILED BRIEF (PDF) | |
17 | 09/05/2013 APPELLEE APPENDIX | |
18 | 09/05/2013 E-FILED APPENDIX | |
19 | 09/09/2013 Rcv'd 7 copies of AEB & 6 copies of AEA from CSD | |
20 | 09/09/2013 Rcv'd $25 surcharge for AEB (receipt #22208) | |
21 | 09/13/2013 NOTICE OF ORAL ARGUMENT SENT | |
22 | 09/18/2013 REPLY BRIEF (PDF) | |
23 | 09/18/2013 E-FILED BRIEF (PDF) | |
24 | 09/19/2013 Rcv'd 7 copies of RYB from CSD | |
25 | 10/13/2013 APPEARANCES: Dean J. Haas; Lolita G. Hartl Romanick | |
26 | 10/01/2013 ARGUED: Dean J. Haas; Lolita G. Hartl Romanick | |
27 | 10/01/2013 ORAL ARGUMENT WEBCAST | |
28 | 12/19/2013 DISPOSITION: REVERSED AND REMANDED | |
29 | 12/19/2013 SPLIT OPINION: Maring, Mary Muehlen | |
30 | 12/19/2013 DISSENT: Crothers, Daniel John: DISSENT | |
31 | 12/19/2013 DISSENT/JOIN: Sandstrom, Dale V.: JN/DIS | |
32 | 12/19/2013 Costs on appeal taxed in favor of Appellant | |
33 | 12/20/2013 Judgment Sent to Parties | |
34 | 01/16/2014 MANDATE | |
35 | 01/23/2014 RECEIPT SIGNED BY DISTRICT COURT CLERK'S OFFICE | |
36 | 02/19/2014 Corrected/Substitute Opinion Page - paragraph 20, page 9, line 5 after quotation |