Workers' Compensation
Listed below is McConnaughhay, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver & Stern, P.A.'s workers' compensation case law database. The database dates back until 1971 and includes over 5500 workers' compensation court decisions.
To view the case summaries, select one of the general topics listed below.
Northwest Orient Airlines v. Gonzalez
500 So.2d 699, 12 Fla. L. Week. 241, (Fla.App. 1 Dist., Jan 06, 1987)
Claimant injured in 1975 and an order was entered awarding permanent partial benefits for injuries to the claimant's neck right shoulder and arm. Thereafter claimant developed knee problems and filed a claim for benefits related to this condition alleging that they resulted from the 1975 accident. Court determined that doctrine of res judicata did not preclude consideration of knee injuries even though prior order entered awarding benefits only for neck shoulder and arm problems. An essential element of this doctrine is that there must be an identity of the same thing sued for. The prior order was concerned with neck and shoulder problems and this claim related to knee difficulties.The implied authorization which results when an authorized physician refers a claimant to another doctor extends to evaluations and not to treatment. Authorized physician referred claimant to another doctor who recommended surgery. Employer/carrier refused to authorize such surgery and claimant made no attempt to obtain prior authorization from deputy commissioner for the employer/carrier to pay for such surgery. Court found surgery not authorized. Surgery not found to be an emergency.
