Robinson v. Bailey Mining Co.

OPINION OF THE COURT

This workers’ compensation appeal concerns whether a worker who settled the claim for a work injury was entitled to reopen the claim subsequent to a second injury, in order to receive combined benefits for total, occupational disability, without demonstrating an increase of occupational disability for which a worsening of the initial injury, itself, was the proximate cause.

Claimant severed his left forearm in a 1980 work-related accident while employed by Bailey Mining Company. The claim was settled for a lump sum which represented a 78.268% occupational disability. He was…