DocketNumber: 2017-05-0721
Citation Numbers: 2018 TN WC 29
Judges: Dale Tipps
Filed Date: 3/22/2018
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 1/10/2021
FILED Mar 22, 2018 02:31 AM(CT) TENNESSEE COURT OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS TENNESSEE BUREAU OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION IN THE COURT OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIMS AT MURFREESBORO BEVERLY ROBERTSON, ) Docket No. 2017-05-0721 Employee, ) v. ) EDWARDS OIL OF ) State File No. 4488-2015 LAWRENCEBURG, ) Employer, ) and ) ACCIDENT FUND GEN. INS. CO., ) Judge Dale Tipps Carrier. ) EXPEDITED HEARING ORDER DENYING REQUESTED BENEFITS This matter came before the Court on March 20, 2018, for an Expedited Hearing. During the hearing, counsel for Ms. Robertson acknowledged that no medical or temporary disability benefits were currently in dispute. Instead, Ms. Robertson sought a determination as to her correct average weekly wage.1 Tennessee Code Annotated section 50-6-239(d)(1) provides that the Court may conduct an expedited hearing regarding “the provision of temporary disability or medical benefits.” As no such benefits are currently in dispute, the Court cannot order temporary disability payments or medical treatment, but could only issue an advisory ruling on the average weekly wage issue. Such a ruling would be improper. See State v. Walls, No. M2014-01972-SC-R11-CD, 2017 Tenn. LEXIS 719 at *3 (Nov. 9, 2017). IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED as follows: 1. Ms. Robertson’s claim against Edwards Oil and its workers’ compensation carrier is denied at this time. 1 Ms. Robertson also suggested jurisdiction was another issue to be determined. Because the Dispute Certification Notice did not identify jurisdiction as a disputed issue, the Court declined to hear it. 1 2. Ms. Robertson must file a Request for Scheduling Hearing or a valid Request for Expedited Hearing within thirty days of the entry of this Order. ENTERED this the 22nd day of March, 2018. _____________________________________ Judge Dale Tipps Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the Expedited Hearing Order was sent to the following recipients by the following methods of service on this the 22nd day of March, 2018. Name Certified Fax Email Service sent to: Mail Michael Fisher, X mfisher@ddzlaw.com Employee’s Attorney Gordon Aulgur, X Gordon.aulgur@accidentfund.com Employer’s Attorney _____________________________________ Penny Shrum, Clerk of Court Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims WC.CourtClerk@tn.gov 2 Expedited Hearing Order Right to Appeal: If you disagree with this Expedited Hearing Order, you may appeal to the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board. To appeal an expedited hearing order, you must: 1. Complete the enclosed form entitled: "Expedited Hearing Notice of Appeal," and file the form with the Clerk of the Court of Workers' Compensation Claims within seven business days of the date the expedited hearing order was filed. When filing the Notice of Appeal, you must serve a copy upon all parties. 2. You must pay, via check, money order, or credit card, a $75.00 filing fee within ten calendar days after filing of the Notice of Appeal. Payments can be made in-person at any Bureau office or by U.S. mail, hand-delivery, or other delivery service. In the alternative, you may file an Affidavit of Indigency (form available on the Bureau's website or any Bureau office) seeking a waiver of the fee. You must file the fully- completed Affidavit of Indigency within ten calendar days of filing the Notice of Appeal. Failure to timely pay the filing fee or file the Affidavit of Indigency will result in dismissal of the appeal. 3. You bear the responsibility of ensuring a complete record on appeal. You may request from the court clerk the audio recording of the hearing for a $25.00 fee. If a transcript of the proceedings is to be filed, a licensed court reporter must prepare the transcript and file it with the court clerk within ten calendar days of the filing the Notice of Appeal. Alternatively, you may file a statement of the evidence prepared jointly by both parties within ten calendar days of the filing of the Notice of Appeal. The statement of the evidence must convey a complete and accurate account of the hearing. The Workers' Compensation Judge must approve the statement before the record is submitted to the Appeals Board. If the Appeals Board is called upon to review testimony or other proof concerning factual matters, the absence of a transcript or statement of the evidence can be a significant obstacle to meaningful appellate review. 4. If you wish to file a position statement, you must file it with the court clerk within five business days after the deadline to file a transcript or statement of the evidence. The party opposing the appeal may file a response with the court clerk within five business days after you file your position statement. All position statements should include: (1) a statement summarizing the facts of the case from the evidence admitted during the expedited hearing; (2) a statement summarizing the disposition of the case as a result of the expedited hearing; (3) a statement of the issue(s) presented for review; and (4) an argument, citing appropriate statutes, case law, or other authority. For self-represented litigants: Help from an Ombudsman is available at 800-332-2667. Filed Date Stamp Here EXPEDITED HEARING NOTICE OF APPEAL Tennessee Division of Workers' Compensation Docket#: - - - -- -- - -- www.tn.go v/labor-wfd/wcomp.shtm l State File #/YR: - - -- - - -- wc.courtclerk@tn.gov 1-800-332-2667 RFA#: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____ _ Date of Injury: - - - -- - - - - SSN: _______ _ ______ __ Employee Employer and Carrier Notice Noticeisg~enthat _ _ _ _ _ _ _~~--~~~~---~~~--------~ [List name(s) of all appealing party(ies) on separate sheet if necessary] appeals the order(s) of the Court of Workers' Compensation Claims at _ __ -~~~-----~~~~~~~~-to the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board . [List the date(s) the order(s) was filed in the court clerk's office] Judge___________________________________________ Statement of the Issues Provide a short and plain statement of the issues on appeal or basis for relief on appeal: Additional Information Type of Case [Check the most appropriate item] D Temporary disability benefits D Medical benefits for current injury D Medical benefits under prior order issued by the Court List of Parties Appellant (Requesting Party): _____________ .A t Hearing: DEmployer DEmployee Address:. _______________________ ______________ ___________ Party's Phone:.____________________________ Email: _________________________ Attorney's Name:________________________________ ___ BPR#: - - - - - - - - - - - - Attorney's Address:. _ _ _ _ _~~-~~~~----~~---- Phone: Attorney's City, State & Zip code: _____________________ ___________ _ _ _ __ _ Attorney's Email :_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ *Attach an additional sheet for each additional Appellant* LB-1099 rev.4/15 Page 1 of 2 RDA 11082 Employee Name: - - - -- - - -- - - - SF#: _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ DO l: _ __ _ __ Aopellee(s) Appellee (Opposing Party): _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.At Hearing: OEmployer DEmployee Appellee's Address: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Appellee's Phone:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.Email:_ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ __ Attorney's Name:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ BPR#: - - - - - - - - Attorney's Address:._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Phone: Attorney's City, State & Zip code: - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - Attorney's Email:._ _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ * Attach an additional sheet for each additional Appellee * CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I, certify that I have forwarded a true and exact copy of this Expedited Hearing Notice of Appeal by First Class, United States Mail, postage prepaid, to all parties and/or their attorneys in this case in accordance with Rule 0800-02-22.01(2) of the Tennessee Rules of Board of Workers' Compensation Appeals on this the day of__, 20_ . [Signature of appellant or attorney for appellant] LB-1099 rev.4/1S Page 2 of 2 RDA 11082 . ll .I Tennessee Bureau of Workers' Compensation 220 French Landing Drive, 1-B Nashville, TN 37243-1002 800-332-2667 AFFIDAVIT OF INDIGENCY I, , having been duly sworn according to law, make oath that because of my poverty, I am unable to bear the costs of this appeal and request that the filing fee to appeal be waived. The following facts support my poverty. 1. Full Name:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 2. Address: - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3. Telephone Number: - - - - - - - - - 4. Date of Birth: - - - - - - - - - - - 5. Names and Ages of All Dependents: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Relationship: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Relationship: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - Relationship: - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Relationship: - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6. I am employed by: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - , - My employer's address is: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - My employer's phone number is: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7. My present monthly household income, after federal income and social security taxes are deducted, is: $ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ 8. I receive or expect to receive money from the following sources: AFDC $ per month beginning SSI $ per month beginning Retirement $ per month beginning Disability $ per month beginning Unemployment $ per month beginning Worker's Camp.$ per month beginning Other $ per month beginning LB-1108 (REV 11/15) RDA 11082 9. My expenses are: ' ; !• ' Rent/House Payment $ per month Medical/Dental $ per month Groceries $ per month Telephone $ per month Electricity $ per month School Supplies $ per month Water $ per month Clothing $ per month Gas $ per month Child Care $ per month Transportation $ per month Child Support $ per month Car $ per month Other $ per month (describe: 10. Assets: Automobile $ _ _ __ _ (FMV) - - - - - -- - - - Checking/Savings Acct. $ _ _ _ __ House $ _ _ _ __ (FMV) - - -- - - -- - - ) Other $ _ _ _ __ Describe:_ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ 11. My debts are: Amount Owed To Whom I hereby declare under the penalty of perjury that the foregoing answers are true, correct, and complete and that I am financially unable to pay the costs of this appeal. APPELLANT Sworn and subscribed before me, a notary public, this _ _ _ dayof _____________ ,20____ NOTARY PUBLIC My Commission Expires:_ _ _ _ _ __ _ LB-1108 (REV 11/15) RDA 11082