Pridgen v. State, Department of Transportation

SHAW, Judge.

The 65-year-old claimant suffered a compensable injury to his back in 1977 that was subsequently diagnosed as an acute thoracic lumbar strain. The deputy commissioner found the claimant permanently totally disabled and apportioned out of the award 45% of the claimant’s over-all disability.

The claimant has worked for the present employer since 1962 and has a work history which includes farming, carpenter’s helper, truck driver and a 1973 jobvconnected injury which resulted in a compression fracture. The treating physician assigned an impairment rating of 20% to the 1977 compensable…