An Alabama appellate court said a trial judge wrongly dismissed a petition by a casino to be relieved of liability for future medical treatment for a worker who said injuries from a 2018 motor vehicle accident exacerbated work injuries she suffered 10 years earlier.
The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals on Friday reversed a Macon Circuit Court decision denying a petition by Shorter-based VictoryLand casino seeking to end its responsibility for paying medical expenses for employee Patricia Dianne Arnold.
Ms. Arnold injured her back at work in 2006 and filed for workers compensation benefits in 2008.
VictoryLand ultimately agreed to pay for Ms. Arnold’s medical care.
In 2018, Ms. Arnold was injured in a motor vehicle accident, after which she sued the at-fault party. The case was later settled.
VictoryLand argued that it shouldn’t be responsible for future medical payments because the successive injuries related solely to the car accident. A trial judge dismissed the company’s petition.
The appeals court said the trial court erred because it never explained its decision to deny the employer’s petition, which is necessary before an appeals court can render judgment.