Joy Mining MacHinery v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Board

OPINION BY

President Judge COLINS.

Joy Mining Machinery (Joy Mining or Employer) petitions for review of the orders of the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board affirming the award of hearing loss benefits to four individual claimants, Edward Noggle, George Shoemaker, Boyd Morrow, and Victor Gilara. These appeals have been consolidated for review. Also before the Court is respondents’ motion for assessment of counsel fees.

The claimants filed their individual claim petitions in 1998, and all four were assigned to a single workers’ compensation judge who held separate hearings for each case. Each…