S-20-0721 Benjamin Melton (Appellant) v. City of Holdrege
Workers’ Compensation Court, Hon. Dirk V. Block
Attorneys: Todd D. Bennett (Rehm, Bennett & Moore, P.C., L.L.O., for Appellee); David A. Dudley & Micah C. Hawker Boehnke (Baylor Evnen, L.L.P., for Appellant)
Workers’ Compensation: Permanent-disability benefits; Vocational-rehabilitation expenses; Waiting-time penalty
Proceedings Below: The Workers’ Compensation Court awarded Appellant medical expenses and permanent-disability benefits based on 70% impairment of his left leg as of the date that he returned to full-time work. The court denied Appellant’s requests for vocational-rehabilitation expenses and a waiting-time penalty.
Issues on Appeal: Whether 1) for purposes of calculating permanent-disability benefits, the court erroneously characterized Appellant’s disability as only a 70% impairment of the amputated leg; and 2) Appellant was entitled to future vocational-rehabilitation expenses and a waiting-time penalty.