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Adams v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Board12/1/2005
Julie Adams (Claimant) appeals an order of the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board (Board) affirming the decision of the Workers' Compensation Judge (WCJ) denying her claim petition for medical expenses.
Claimant was employed by Interforest Corporation (Employer) as a dryer helper for two and one-half years which required her to move her arms from right to left to catch and stack veneer coming off a dryer over the course of the day. In November 2000, she began experiencing numbness and pain in her right arm.
On June 11, 2001, she reported an injury to her right elbow to Employer and was referred to Heritage Valley Health System, Employer's panel physicians, for an evaluation. The evaluation revealed that Claimant reported work-related pain caused by the repetitive motion of pulling veneer out of a drying machine. She was prescribed medications and occupational therapy and returned to work without restrictions. Because she continued to experience pain and numbness in her right arm, in September 2001, a panel physician recommended that she be placed in a job that required less repetitive motion. In April 2002, Claimant began treating with Melissa Moon, M.D. (Dr. Moon), board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, who diagnosed her with right ulnar mononeuropathy and right lateral epicondylitis due to the overuse of her arms during work. Based on Dr. Moon's recommendations, Claimant was placed on light-duty with reduced repetitive arm motion. On June 6, 2002, Adams began treating with Stuart Gardner, M.D. (Dr. Gardner), an orthopedic surgeon. Claimant told him that she began having trouble with her right elbow one year earlier. Despite x-rays of the right elbow that were normal, he diagnosed her with medial and lateral epicondylitis and opined that her condition was work-related.
Claimant filed a claim petition for her medical expenses on July 1, 2002, alleging that an injury to her right elbow and nerves was caused by her repetitive hand and arm movements required by her job. She submitted to an independent medical examination (IME) performed by James Cosgrove, M.D. (Dr. Cosgrove), who performed a thorough physical exam of Claimant's upper extremities and found that she showed normal strength and had a normal range of motion, normal muscle bulk and normal sensation. He also stated that he reviewed her diagnostic studies of her right elbow from June 22, 2002, which were normal. Finally, he performed nerve conduction studies which were found to be normal. Dr. Cosgrove concluded that there was no evidence of continuing epicondylitis and that Claimant could return to full work activities.
At the hearing on Claimant's claim petition, Claimant testified regarding her continuing pain, but stated that her condition had improved since she had stopped working. She also submitted medical reports from Dr. Gardner and Dr. Moon, as well as from two other physicians with which she had treated, Dr. Wrightson and Kelly Allen, D.C. (Dr. Allen), all stating that her condition was due to the repetitive use of her arm in her job duties. Dr. Allen's report, however, also indicated that Claimant complained of low back and right upper extremity pain which she had been suffering from for three months due to lifting furniture in March 2000. Further, a patient questionnaire of November 27, 2001, reflected that Claimant had low back, right shoulder and neck pain from playing with her nieces. Finally, an intake form of February 13, 2002, referenced neck and right shoulder pain allegedly from overuse without specifically stating overuse at work. Dr. Wrightson's medical report indicated that Claimant told him she suffered a work injury on May 31, 2001, rather than June 11, 2001, as
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