Samuel F. Sanchez v. Saturn Corp.

The employee suffered a biceps tendon rupture in the course and scope of his employment. While performing arthroscopic surgery to confirm the existence of a rotator cuff tear, the treating physician performed a resection of the employee's distal clavicle. The employee contends that the trial judge erred in failing to consider any impairment for this resection in the calculation of the employee's vocational disability and therefore rendered an inadequate award. The Panel finds that medical testimony refutes any causal connection between the work-related injury and the clavicle resection. The Panel also concludes that the employee has failed to meet his burden of showing that the resection was reasonably necessary to treat the work-related injury. We affirm the judgment of the trial court.