Kevin Koeller v. Cardinal Logistics Management Corporation and Ace American Insurance Company

Summary

The court held that the workers’ compensation commissioner could review an expert’s interpretation of the AMA Guides, but that the commissioner incorrectly applied a 25% multiplier to the impairment rating for a distal clavicle excision. The specific provision governing distal clavicle excisions controls over the Guides’ more general multiplier language, so the impairment value from Table 16-27 should not be multiplied by the value in Table 16-18. The court affirmed the agency’s factual determination that the excision was work-related, vacated and reversed the lower appellate and district court decisions in part, and remanded for further proceedings.