Owen v. State Accident Insurance Fund

Claimant appeals an award by the Workers’ Compensation Board of 50 percent of unscheduled permanent partial disability. The referee had determined that he was permanently and totally disabled.

Claimant, now 59, has been a steadily employed carpenter since dropping out of high school as a youth. He suffered a compensable back injury in 1972. Since then he has worked when possible, some incidents on the job have caused additional back pain, and his incapacity has increased. By the time of the hearing, he was unable to tolerate lifting and bending and pain was caused by walking, driving and…