A teacher who was permanently disabled following an injury suffered while securing a door during an active shooter drill is not eligible for indefinite physical therapy for his complex regional pain syndrome, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled on Friday.
Jon Bressler, who was employed by the Fremont County School District #2 at the time of the incident in 2016 in which he suffered an injury to his right arm, was deemed permanently disabled by 2020, having reached maximum medical improvement, and had been in physical therapy twice a week, according to Jon Bressler v. State of Wyoming, Ex Rel. Department of Workforce Services, Workers’ Compensation Division.
In 2020, the Department of Workforce Services, Workers’ Compensation Division compensated Mr. Bressler for three physical therapy sessions. The Medical Commission upheld the denials “after a contested case hearing, finding Mr. Bressler’s continued physical therapy was no longer reasonable and necessary medical care for his work-related injury,” as determined following three independent medical reviews, including one that determined “Mr. Bressler had not shown objectively measurable progress in the course of over 358 physical therapy sessions.” One physician said he should transition to a home exercise program.
Ruling against Mr. Bressler’s appeal for indefinite physical therapy, of which he provided as evidence a two-year-old letter from a doctor ordering such treatment, the state’s highest said current medical evidence is lacking to prove further physical therapy would be beneficial.