Ex parte Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Decision Date | 06 April 2001 |
Parties | Ex parte WAL-MART STORES, INC. (Re Barbara J. Bishop f/k/a Barbara J. Trapp v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., et al.) |
Court | Alabama Supreme Court |
Glenn E. Ireland and Joseph H. Driver of Carr, Allison, Pugh, Howard, Oliver & Sisson, P.C., Birmingham, for petitioner.
Gregory N. Norton, Anniston, for respondent.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., seeks a writ of mandamus directing the trial court to rescind its order which allowed the employee in a workers' compensation action to proceed with surgery not recommended by her currently authorized treating physician, and which directed the employer to pay for the surgery by an out-of-state physician. We grant the petition.
The plaintiff, Barbara J. Bishop f/k/a Barbara J. Trapp, claims to have suffered a back injury while working for the defendant, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., on January 6, 1998. Although Wal-Mart disputes the compensability of the plaintiff's alleged injury, the company has provided medical treatment for her back. The initial authorized treating physician was Dr. Michael Klassen of Anniston. Dr. Klassen ordered a MRI of the lumbar spine, which showed a "right central disc bulge at L3-4 with no significant neural compressive effects." Dr. Klassen did not recommend surgery. The plaintiff then moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and lived there approximately two months. While she was there, Wal-Mart authorized a consultation with Dr. John Brophy, a Memphis neurosurgeon. He performed a lumbar myelogram/CT scan, which revealed a "possible small focal lateral right L3-4 herniation." Dr. Brophy recommended a surgical decompression at the L3-4 area. Because two authorized physicians had provided conflicting opinions, Wal-Mart scheduled a second surgical opinion consultation in Memphis with Dr. Fereidon Parisioon. However, when Wal-Mart sought to contact the plaintiff to inform her of this appointment, her telephone had been disconnected, because she had moved back to Calhoun County.
Upon her return to Alabama, Dr. Klassen remained the plaintiffs authorized treating physician. Stating through counsel that she was dissatisfied with Dr. Klassen, the plaintiff, as authorized by Ala. Code 1975, § 25-5-77(a), requested a panel of four physicians from which to select another authorized treating physician. From a panel of four, the plaintiff selected Dr. Martin P. Jones, Jr., of the Alabama Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham.
Dr. Jones performed an evaluation, writing a chart review "To Whom It May Concern" on May 21, 1999:
The plaintiff completed the functional capacity evaluation. Dr. Jones wrote on June 28, 1999:
On February 29, 2000, the plaintiff moved for an emergency hearing for immediate medical attention, claiming that she needed further surgical evaluation, and, possibly, surgery as recommended by Dr. Brophy. Wal-Mart opposed the motion, providing the trial court with a history of the plaintiffs medical treatment and copies of Dr. Jones' reports.
On March 9, 2000, the trial court entered the following order:
In response to this order, Wal-Mart filed a motion for reconsideration, arguing that Dr. Brophy was no longer the plaintiff's authorized treating physician, because she had selected Dr. Jones from a panel of four in accordance with Ala.Code 1975, § 25-5-77(a). Wal-Mart also contended that there is no provision in the Workers' Compensation Act for an employee to "choose" a previously authorized physician over a currently authorized physician whom the employee selected from a panel of four. In this motion, Wal-Mart also requested that the trial court appoint a neutral physician under Ala.Code 1975, § 25-5-77(b), to examine the plaintiff and report his or her findings to the trial court.
The plaintiff responded to the motion for reconsideration, arguing that City of Auburn v. Brown, 638 So.2d 1339 (Ala.Civ. App.1993), is the controlling authority. The trial court denied Wal-Mart's motion for reconsideration. Wal-Mart filed a petition for writ of mandamus to the Court of Civil Appeals. The Court of Civil Appeals denied the writ, without an opinion.
Wal-Mart petitions this Court pursuant to Rule 21(e), Ala.R.App. P., requesting that a writ of mandamus issue to the trial court, directing it to rescind its March 9, 2000, order. Mandamus is an extraordinary remedy requiring a showing that there is: "(1) a clear legal right in the petitioner to the order sought; (2) an imperative duty upon the respondent to perform, accompanied by a refusal to do so; (3) the lack of another adequate remedy; and (4) properly invoked jurisdiction of the court." Ex parte Edgar, 543...
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