Knowlton v. Wood River Med. Ctr.
| Decision Date | 26 May 2011 |
| Docket Number | No. 37360.,37360. |
| Court | Idaho Supreme Court |
| Parties | Lesia KNOWLTON, Claimant/Appellant/Cross–Respondent, v. WOOD RIVER MEDICAL CENTER, Employer; Fremont Compensation Insurance Company, Surety; and Idaho Insurance Guaranty Association, Party of Interest, Defendants/Respondents/Cross–Appellants. |
Troupis Law Office, P.A., Eagle, and R. Brad Masingill, Weiser, for appellant.
Christ T. Troupis argued. Anderson Julian & Hull, LLP, Boise, for respondents. Matthew O. Pappas argued.
Lesia Knowlton appeals the Industrial Commission's determination that she is not entitled to workers' compensation benefits because she failed to demonstrate that her medical symptoms were causally related to an accident that occurred during the course of her employment. We affirm.
During all times relevant to this appeal, Lesia Knowlton was employed as a unit secretary at Wood River Medical Center. On September 12, 2000, Knowlton was working at her assigned station when a toilet or bathroom floor drain in a patient's room became clogged. The patient's room was located near the area where Knowlton was working. One of the maintenance workers at the hospital used a chemical to remedy the problem. The chemical produced a foul odor, which Knowlton described as an "orange citrusy" smell. In an effort to ventilate1 the patient's room, the hospital staff placed a fan in the doorway of the room, which blew air past Knowlton's station until her shift ended at approximately 4:00 p.m.2 After several people complained about the odor, the director of nurses and the infection control nurse decided to move the patient from the room where the chemical was used to a different room in the hospital. According to Knowlton, the odor got stronger as the day went on, and she began smelling an odor resembling "rotten eggs" coming from the kitchen. Kitchen personnel informed her that the smell was coming from the drains. Knowlton developed a headache as a result of breathing the odor.
After returning home after her shift ended, Knowlton developed a cough and body aches. The following day, Knowlton had to leave work around lunchtime because her symptoms had worsened. Knowlton was only able to work a partial shift on September 14. On September 15, three days after the incident, Knowlton sought medical treatment from Laria Thomas, a nurse practitioner. During this visit, Knowlton reported that she was experiencing a cough, a sore throat, and burning when she would breathe. Knowlton was prescribed antibiotics, cough syrup, and an inhaler. A chest x-ray
taken on a follow-up visit with Thomas was normal.
Knowlton returned to work on September 18, and was told that the chemical used on the day of the incident contained sulfuric acid.3 The following day, Knowlton filled out and signed a Form 1 Report of Injury or Illness.
Knowlton visited Dr. Thomas Pryor on September 25. Dr. Pryor's notes from the visit indicate that Knowlton had a cough and bronchitis-like sounds in her lungs. During a follow-up visit on September 28, Knowlton complained of a sore throat and a sore chest from coughing. Dr. Pryor also noted that her sinuses were inflamed, and provided her with a release from work. By October 4, Dr. Pryor noted that the sinus inflammation had "improved profoundly." On the same day, nurse practitioner Thomas also provided Knowlton with a release from work retroactive to the day of the incident. The next day, Knowlton phoned Thomas and reported that she had another negative reaction after being exposed to other cleaners at work.
On October 13, on the advice of Dr. Pryor, Knowlton visited Dr. Ronald Fullmer, a pulmonologist.
During this visit, Knowlton complained of shortness of breath and hoarseness. Knowlton also complained that her symptoms increased when exposed to animals, cold air, smoke, and perfume. Dr. Fullmer recognized some vocal distortion, but mentioned that it became more normal when she was not speaking about her initial exposure to the chemical. Dr. Fullmer's examination indicated that Knowlton's head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat were normal. A medical history taken during that visit indicated that Knowlton had been smoking cigarettes for "less than one year." According to Knowlton, she smoked prior to the chemical exposure but quit after the incident.
On October 25, nurse practitioner Thomas prescribed Wellbutrin
at Knowlton's request to help her quit smoking. On December 11, Knowlton reported to nurse practitioner Thomas that she had experienced a negative reaction to food on two occasions during which her eyes became itchy and her throat and chest became red. Thomas' notes indicate that Knowlton wondered if she was reacting to some sulfa-containing component in the food. On December 20, Knowlton visited Dr. Fullmer complaining that her symptoms had increased after being exposed to odors from the new carpet and furnishings at her place of employment. Knowlton also mentioned having negative reaction to foods.
In January of 2001, Knowlton began to see another pulmonologist, Dr. Holly Carveth. Dr. Carveth determined that Knowlton was suffering from reactive airway disease (RADS),4 as well as gastroesophageal reflux disease
(GERD).5 Dr. Carveth referred Knowlton to a speech and language pathologist to treat her vocal distortion. Dr. Carveth also noted that Knowlton had to be careful about what she ate due to the onset of new food allergies. Knowlton was prescribed Prilosec to treat the GERD symptoms.
In June of 2001, Fremont Compensation Insurance Company (Fremont), Wood River Medical Center's insurance company, requested Dr. Fullmer's opinion regarding Knowlton's exposure to sulfuric acid. Dr. Fullmer subsequently wrote a letter to Fremont explaining that Knowlton's initial diagnosis was an inhalation injury secondary to sulfuric acid exposure, but that the injury was mild or minor and would only be expected to last four to six weeks. He also explained that Knowlton likely reached maximum medical stability approximately six weeks after the exposure, and it was unlikely that her continued symptoms were directly related to the exposure. Rather, he believed her continued symptoms seemed more related to anxiety or a desire for a secondary gain related to the accident. Finally, he stated that he did not believe Knowlton had any significant physical impairment that was related to the industrial exposure.
Knowlton subsequently filed a complaint with the Industrial Commission, seeking reimbursement for her medical expenses and temporary total disability benefits. In the complaint, Knowlton named Wood River Medical Center6 and Fremont as defendants, and alleged that her exposure to toxic sulfuric acid fumes on September 12, 2000, caused her to suffer a chronic cough, dyspnea, laryngitis
, RADS, and laryngospasm. Knowlton filed an amended complaint on May 12, 2003, this time seeking additional workers' compensation benefits in the form of permanent partial impairment benefits and permanent partial disability benefits. In the amended complaint, Knowlton also added dysfunctional larynx and epigastric reflux to the list of medical problems allegedly caused by the chemical exposure.
Defense counsel subsequently filed an answer on behalf of Wood River, as well as Cambridge Integrated Services, the successor in interest to Fremont, which had gone bankrupt at some point after Knowlton's complaint was filed. As a result of Fremont's bankruptcy, the Idaho Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association (the Association)7 was added as an interested party in the litigation.8
At some point in 2002, Knowlton was awarded social security disability benefits as a result of her continued symptoms. The Social Security Administration determined that Knowlton's allegations with regard to her medical symptoms were credible based on objective medical findings.
For the next several years, Knowlton continued to see Dr. Carveth. Dr. Carveth maintained her diagnosis of RADS and noted that Knowlton was expressing significant anxiety and depression related to her illness, as well as her sister's unexpected death in a car accident. Knowlton continued to develop additional symptoms related to an expanding list of triggers, including dust, pollen, animal dander, industrial chemicals used in farm machinery maintenance, marking pens, smoke, grooming products, and consumption of alcohol and many foods. Knowlton also underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy
(EGD). The test results showed inflammation at Knowlton's gastroesophageal junction, which is consistent with GERD.
In September of 2005, Knowlton was examined by several of Respondents' experts, including toxicologist Dr. Stephen Munday, allergist Dr. William Wallace, and psychologist Dr. Craig Beaver. Dr. Munday concluded that Knowlton did not meet the criteria for a RADS diagnosis, and her symptoms were more likely the result of a GERD condition. Dr. Wallace conducted a skin panel, testing for approximately 80 to 90 of the most common allergens and 6 of the major foods for which Knowlton had reported experiencing a reaction. All of the tests came back negative. Dr. Beaver concluded that there was a correlation between stressful events in Knowlton's life and the development of her physical symptoms.
For reasons not relevant to this appeal, a hearing on the merits of Knowlton's claim did not occur until June of 2008. At the hearing, the Referee heard live testimony from Knowlton, as well as the Respondents' toxicology expert,...
To continue reading
Request your trial
-
Knowlton v. Wood River Med. Ctr.
...151 Idaho 135254 P.3d 36Lesia KNOWLTON, Claimant/Appellant/Cross–Respondent,v.WOOD RIVER MEDICAL CENTER, Employer; Fremont Compensation Insurance Company, Surety; and Idaho Insurance Guaranty Association, Party of Interest, Defendants/Respondents/Cross–Appellants.No. 37360.Supreme Court of ......