Defayette v. Verizon

Appeal from a decision of the Workers’ Compensation Board, filed November 29, 2007, which denied claimant’s request to reopen his case.

Claimant suffered a work-related injury to his back in January 2003 and was awarded workers’ compensation benefits. In October 2004, although claimant’s physician opined that he remained totally disabled, an independent medical examiner concluded that claimant had no disability and could work without any restrictions. Based on the latter opinion, the self-insured employer suspended claimant’s workers’ compensation benefits. Following two hearings at which…