This 2014 case involved an appeal by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. ("employer") after being ordered to pay permanent-total-disability benefits to its employee, Stephen Dale Bush ("employee") under the Alabama Workers' Compensation Act. The employee claimed he had sustained a knee injury when he fell at work.
The employer appealed on various grounds, such as refusal to approve a settlement agreed by the parties, the adequacy of the notice provided by the employee about the accident, and whether the injury resulted in the employee being permanently and totally disabled.
The appellate court upheld the trial court’s finding that the employee had adequately notified the employer of the accident and the injury and that the injury resulted in permanent total disability. However, the court also found that the trial court erred in basing compensation on vocational disability without first deciding whether an exception to the 'schedule' applied. The court also reversed the trial court's decision to apply a 15% penalty against the employer, as there was a good-faith dispute over the employer's liability for the accident.
Court Upholds Decision Denying Worker's Compensation for Knee Surgery Linked to Arthritis, Not Workplace Accident.
Reed Contracting Services, Inc. Challenges Court's Decision Mandating Knee-Replacement Surgeries for Employee Due to Work-Related Accident
Fairhope Health & Rehab Challenges Compensation for Employee's Knee Replacement Due to Preexisting Condition
Court Challenges Evidence Linking Knee Injury to Worsening of Pre-existing Back Condition
Procedural Dispute over Knee Injury and Permanent Partial Disability
Knee Injury Claim Denied: Not Work-Related and Didn't Cause a Disability
Plaintiff Waived Rights to Future Medical Treatment
Knee Injury Permanent Disability Reversed
Prior Employer Ordered to Continue Medical Benefits After Alleged Aggravation of Knee Injury
Injured Worker Wins Workers' Compensation for Chemical Exposure Exacerbating Preexisting Condition
Court Challenges Evidence Linking Knee Injury to Worsening of Pre-existing Back Condition
Employer Challenged a Trial Court Judgment Awarding the Employee Permanent-Total-Disability Benefits
Court Affirms Permanent Total Disability for Back Injury Despite Pre-Existing Injuries
Foot Injury Exacerbates Back Injury and Leads to Permanent Total Disability
Court Reverses Permanent Total Disability Award Resulting from Hand Injury
Foot injury's effects extended beyond the foot and interfered with the effective functioning of Plaintiff's body as a whole
Work-Related Injuries Lead to Permanent-Total-Disability Benefits
Permanent Total Disability Claim not Barred by Unemployment Benefits
Foot Injury Leads to Permanent Total Disability Award
Permanent Total Disability Reversed and Remanded for Further Review
Unintentional Violation of Safety Rules Wasn't Misconduct, but Negligence - Permanent Total Disability Affirmed
Ankle Injury Leads to Depression: Permanent Total Disability
Permanent Total Disability Reversed: Trial Court Erred by Considering Unrelated Injuries
Post-Judgment Discovery Allowed to Calculate Average Weekly Wage
Benefits for Back Injury Affirmed from Date of Notice and not Date of Injury