Leon Smith v. City of Daytona Beach Police Dept./City of etc.

In this workers’ compensation matter, Claimant, a law enforcement officer, argues that the Judge of Compensation Claims (JCC) erred by applying the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estop-pel to bar his claim for benefits based on a new period of disability arising out of treatment of a non-compensable cardiac condition. We find no error in the JCC’s application of either, or both, of these preclusion doctrines. We write, however, to explain why we reject Claimant’s primary legal argument, which posits that he was not required to show a new injury, or a worsening of a compensable…