JEFFREY A. LARSON, Employee/Appellant,
v.
VIKING AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER and TRAVELERS GROUP, Employer-Insurer/ Respondents.
No. WC18-6221
Minnesota Workers Compensation
Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals
July 15, 2019
REHABILITATION
– CONSULTATION; REHABILITATION – ELIGIBILITY;
REHABILITATION – SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. Where the record
reasonably supported the compensation judge’s
conclusion that the employee failed to establish that he is
subject to restrictions as a result of his work injuries, the
judge’s denial of a rehabilitation consultation was not
clearly erroneous or unsupported by substantial evidence.
APPEALS
– SCOPE OF REVIEW. Where the hearing below only
addressed the employee’s rehabilitation requests and
the medical request was not heard, this court will not
address the issue for the first time on appeal.
JURISDICTION;
STATUTES CONSTRUED – MINN. STAT. § 175A.01, SUBD.
5. The authority of this court is limited to the
determination of questions of law and fact arising under the
workers’ compensation laws of Minnesota. Minn. Stat.
§ 175A.01, subd. 5. The employee’s arguments
regarding his social disability claims, Texas workers’
compensation claims, union issues, and employment disability
claims are outside of this court’s jurisdiction.
Pro Se
Appellant.
N.
Amee Pham, Heacox, Hartman, Koshmrl, Cosgriff, Johnson, Lane
& Feenstra, P.A., St. Paul, Minnesota, for the
Respondents.
Determined by: Gary M. Hall, Judge, David A. Stofferahn,
Judge, Deborah K. Sundquist, Judge.
Compensation Judge: Stephen R. Daly
Affirmed.
OPINION
GARY
M. HALL, Judge.
The pro
se employee appeals the compensation judge’s denial of
his claim for a rehabilitation consultation and
rehabilitation services. We affirm.
BACKGROUND
On May
3, 1996, Jeffrey A. Larson, the employee, sustained a
temporary injury when a ladder fell on his head while he was
working as a union apprentice sprinkler fitter for Viking
Automatic Sprinkler Company (Viking), which was insured for
workers’ compensation liability by St. Paul Fire &
Marine Insurance Company, now known as Travelers Group
(Travelers). The employee was seen at an emergency room, but
he left before being treated by a doctor. At a general
physical examination in January 1997, the employee reported
the injury and having been disoriented for about a week, and
the doctor stated that the employee had no residual
neurological symptoms from the ladder injury.
On
March 13 and March 29, 1997, the employee sustained
additional work-related injuries to his neck and right
shoulder while working as a cable installer for Atrex, Inc.
On September 19, 1997, the employee underwent an MRI scan of
his brain, which indicated “unremarkable brain
parenchyma” and small remodeled mandibular condyles. On...