Harding v. City of Texarkana

John Mauzy Pittman, Judge.

The appellant in this workers’ compensation case was employed by the appellee answering 911 emergency calls on the third floor of the Bi-State Justice Building in Texarkana. She was not allowed to smoke on the third floor, but there was a designated smoking area on the first floor. On March 11, 1997, she exited the elevator on the first floor on her way to the smoking area, tripped over a rolled-up carpet, and was injured. Appellee initially accepted the claim as compensable but later controverted the claim in its entirety. After a hearing, the Commission found that…