Springdale, Arkansas – The Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield announced that attorney Lauri Thomas has obtained a significant permanent partial disability award for a client in a long-running Arkansas workers’ compensation case arising from a workplace injury.
The middle-aged claimant worked as a program assistant for the Arkansas Department of Human Services, where they suffered an admittedly compensable back injury from falling in a parking lot back in 2018. The claimant underwent years of treatment, including conservative care, injections, and multiple surgeries. The judge found that the claimant was entitled to permanent partial disability benefits equal to 50 percent for the body as a whole for loss of wage-earning capacity.
“This case reveals how a serious back injury can reshape a worker’s life even after extensive surgery and ongoing treatment,” Jason Hatfield said. “The Commission’s decision recognizes that their ability to compete in the labor market has been significantly reduced, even if they retain some capacity for sedentary work.”
The judge also awarded an attorney fee of 25 percent of the indemnity benefits, to be paid one-half by the carrier and one-half by the claimant, with no fee on medical benefits. This decision underscores the continued role of wage-loss analysis in Arkansas workers’ compensation cases, particularly when injured workers retain limited work capacity but face diminished job-market prospects.
CASE INFORMATION
Springdale District Court
Hernandez v. Department of Human Services
WCC No. G802688
At the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A., we are seasoned veterans of the Arkansas legal system. We have families who are proud to live, work, and play in Northwest Arkansas – from Fayetteville to Bentonville.
Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, P.A.
1025 E Don Tyson Pkwy
Springdale, AR 72764
(479) 888-4789
https://www.jhatfieldlaw.com/
Press Contact : Jason Hatfield
Distributed by Law Firm Newswire
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
