Tultex Corporation v. Veola G. Brown ( 1998 )


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  •                      COURT OF APPEALS OF VIRGINIA
    Present: Judges Benton, Coleman and Bumgardner
    Argued at Salem, Virginia
    TULTEX CORPORATION
    MEMORANDUM OPINION * BY
    v.         Record No. 1610-97-3         JUDGE SAM W. COLEMAN III
    FEBRUARY 24, 1998
    VEOLA G. BROWN
    FROM THE VIRGINIA WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION
    Gregory T. Casker (Daniel, Vaughan, Medley &
    Smitherman, P.C., on brief), for appellant.
    Stephen G. Bass (Carter, Craig, Bass, Blair &
    Kushner, P.C., on brief), for appellee.
    Tultex Corporation (employer) appeals from the Workers'
    Compensation Commission's decision denying its application to
    terminate Veola G. Brown's (claimant) temporary partial
    disability benefits based upon a change in condition.     Employer
    contends the commission erred by holding that employer failed to
    prove that claimant's continuing disability is not causally
    related to her January 9, 1994 compensable injury by accident.
    Employer also argues that claimant's benefits should be
    terminated because she refused selective employment.    We hold
    that credible evidence supports the commission's decision and
    that employer is procedurally barred from asserting its selective
    employment claim in this appeal.    Accordingly, we affirm the
    commission's decision.
    *
    Pursuant to Code § 17-116.010 this opinion is not
    designated for publication.
    On appeal, we view the evidence in the light most favorable
    to the party prevailing before the commission.   See R.G. Moore
    Bldg. Corp. v. Mullins, 
    10 Va. App. 211
    , 212, 
    390 S.E.2d 788
    , 788
    (1990).   The commission's factual findings are conclusive and
    binding on appeal if supported by credible evidence in the
    record.   See Lynchburg Foundry Co. v. Goad, 
    15 Va. App. 710
    , 712,
    
    427 S.E.2d 215
    , 217 (1993); Classic Floors, Inc. v. Guy, 
    9 Va. App. 90
    , 95, 
    383 S.E.2d 761
    , 764 (1989).
    Viewed accordingly, the evidence proved that claimant
    suffered a compensable injury by accident on January 9, 1994,
    when she fractured her right wrist at work.   On January 16, 1995,
    claimant's treating physician, Dr. Michael Wenkstern, performed
    an "end result examination" on the wrist and determined that
    claimant continued to experience "aching pain, tightness, and
    soreness in the wrist." Dr. Wenkstern opined:
    It is unlikely that she will be able to lift
    heavy [objects] on a regular, continuous
    basis without some pain and problems with the
    wrist. For this reason, she should probably
    have a restriction of no lifting more than 15
    or 20 pounds with the right hand alone
    indefinitely.
    He further estimated "a 10% functional impairment of right arm
    function as a residual of the fracture."
    In March 1995, Dr. Wenkstern diagnosed "residual right wrist
    pain and stiffness" following the fracture and reiterated that
    Brown was on a lifting restriction due to residual weakness in
    the wrist.   In June 1995, Dr. Wenkstern approved a light duty job
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    for claimant with employer.   After claimant began this job, she
    returned to Dr. Wenkstern on June 19, 1995.   Dr. Wenkstern
    reported that claimant complained of "aching pain and stiffness
    in the fingers of both hands, more so on the left."    He again
    diagnosed residuals of the right wrist fracture as well as
    osteoarthritic flare-up in the joints of both hands.    He stated
    that claimant's "hand osteoarthritis, particularly on the left,
    seemed to be bothering her the most, and by her description, is
    probably why she is having difficulty with her work."   He
    suggested that claimant take a "medical leave" and noted that
    "she is out of work because of the hand arthritis and not
    specifical [sic] the wrist fracture."
    In February 1996, claimant was treated by Dr. John Rice who
    concluded that she suffered from the early stages of inflammatory
    arthritis "but no erosive disease and no areas of abnormal
    cartilage calcification."   Employer filed a change-in-condition
    application seeking termination of claimant's benefits on the
    ground that her current disability was not causally related to
    her work-related injury.    The commission denied the application.
    We find that credible evidence in the record supports the
    commission's denial of employer's change-in-condition
    application.   "In an application for review of an award on the
    ground of a change in condition, the burden is on the party
    alleging such change to prove his allegations by a preponderance
    of the evidence."   Rosello v. K-Mart Corp., 
    15 Va. App. 333
    , 335,
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    423 S.E.2d 214
    , 216 (1992) (citation omitted).   Factual findings
    made by the commission in reviewing an employer's
    change-in-condition application are "conclusive and binding upon
    the appellate court if based on credible evidence."   Jules
    Hairstylists, Inc. v. Galanes, 
    1 Va. App. 64
    , 68, 
    334 S.E.2d 592
    ,
    595 (1985).   Here, the commission found that employer failed to
    prove that claimant's continuing disability was not related to
    her work-related accident.   Dr. Wenkstern's observations
    attributing claimant's disability in part to residuals from her
    right wrist fracture, along with the fact that claimant's lifting
    restriction had not been removed, constitute credible evidence to
    support the commission's determination.   Although claimant's
    continuing disability may have been predominantly caused by a
    non-work-related osteoarthritic condition, the commission could
    reasonably conclude from the evidence that residuals from
    claimant's compensable right wrist fracture continued to be a
    contributing factor in rendering claimant disabled.   In
    determining whether credible evidence exists, this Court does not
    retry the case, reweigh the facts, or make its own determination
    as to the credibility of the witnesses.   See Wagner Enters., Inc.
    v. Brooks, 
    12 Va. App. 890
    , 894, 
    407 S.E.2d 32
    , 35 (1991).
    Because credible evidence supports the commission's decision, we
    must uphold that decision on appeal.   See Tomko v. Michael's
    Plastering Co., 
    210 Va. 697
    , 699, 
    173 S.E.2d 833
    , 835 (1981).
    Additionally, employer argues that the commission should
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    have terminated the benefits because claimant refused selective
    employment.   Because employer's change-in-condition application
    alleged only that claimant was no longer disabled as a result of
    her work-related injury, we may not consider its selective
    employment argument for the first time on appeal.   See Green v.
    Warwick Plumbing & Heating Corp., 
    5 Va. App. 409
    , 412-13, 
    364 S.E.2d 4
    , 6 (1988).
    For the reasons stated, we affirm the commission's decision.
    Affirmed.
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