Injury Cases: Idiopathic

(Court of Appeals)

Click on the case name to read the decision on the Ohio Supreme Court's web site. Decisions which adopt the decision of a lower court or Magistrate, or which decide a case based on a previous decision, are excluded.

Chappell v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (2/9/09)

Injury resulting from unexplained, idiopathic, fall is not compensable.

Vote: 3-0
Opinion by: Judge Rogers
Appellate District: 3

Fitzgerald v. Bur. of Workers' Comp. (9/30/05)

Trial court gave improper instruction on idiopathic injury which required new trial where court failed to instruct jury that worker could have physical weakness which predisposed him to suffer injury and still be entitled to participate.

Vote: 3-0
Opinion by: Judge Moore
Appellate District: 9

Heuring v. Meijer, Inc. (4/9/10)

Trial court properly granted summary judgement allowing injured worker to participate for injuries resulting from fall where only contrary medical evidence was an opinion that the fall had idiopathic causes from doctor who had neither seen videotape demonstrating worker tripping over footstool nor considered statement from customer that worker tripped over footstool.

Vote: 3-0
Opinion by: Judge Singer
Appellate District: 6

Keith v. Chrysler, L.L.C. (12/31/09)

Conflicting medical testimony over whether injury was caused by pre-existing weakness provided issue of fact to be determined by jury.

Vote: 3-0
Opinion by: Judge Singer
Appellate District: 6

Thatcher v. Exterior Sys., Inc. (3/3/08)

Evidence of decedent's general good health, medical opinions that fall was cause of death, and lack of evidence that decedent suffered a seizure was sufficient to eliminate idiopathic causes and support dependent's entitlement to death benefits.

Vote: 3-0
Opinion by: Judge Edwards
Appellate District: 5

Injury Cases: Idiopathic

(Court of Appeals)

Chappell v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (2/9/09)

Injury resulting from unexplained, idiopathic, fall is not compensable.

Vote: 3-0Opinion by: Judge RogersAppellate District: 3

Fitzgerald v. Bur. of Workers' Comp. (9/30/05)

Trial court gave improper instruction on idiopathic injury which required new trial where court failed to instruct jury that worker could have physical weakness which predisposed him to suffer injury and still be entitled to participate.

Vote: 3-0Opinion by: Judge MooreAppellate District: 9

Heuring v. Meijer, Inc. (4/9/10)

Vote: 3-0Opinion by: Judge SingerAppellate District: 6

Keith v. Chrysler, L.L.C. (12/31/09)

Conflicting medical testimony over whether injury was caused by pre-existing weakness provided issue of fact to be determined by jury.

Vote: 3-0Opinion by: Judge SingerAppellate District: 6

Thatcher v. Exterior Sys., Inc. (3/3/08)

Evidence of decedent's general good health, medical opinions that fall was cause of death, and lack of evidence that decedent suffered a seizure was sufficient to eliminate idiopathic causes and support dependent's entitlement to death benefits.

Vote: 3-0Opinion by: Judge EdwardsAppellate District: 5

Injured at Work?

Vote: 3-0
Opinion by: Judge Rogers
Appellate District: 3

Vote: 3-0
Opinion by: Judge Moore
Appellate District: 9

Vote: 3-0
Opinion by: Judge Singer
Appellate District: 6

Vote: 3-0
Opinion by: Judge Singer
Appellate District: 6

Vote: 3-0
Opinion by: Judge Edwards
Appellate District: 5