Kevin Coolidge v. Austin's Auto Salvage

STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT

16-937

KEVIN COOLIDGE

VERSUS

AUSTIN BUTLER, DBA
AUSTIN’S AUTO SALVAGE

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APPEAL FROM THE
OFFICE OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION, DISTRICT 1E,
PARISH OF CONCORDIA, NO. 14-4586
BENZA IRVING JONES, WORKERS’ COMPENSATION JUDGE

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ELIZABETH A. PICKETT

JUDGE

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Court composed of John D. Saunders, Elizabeth A. Pickett, and Shannon J.
Gremillion, Judges.

MOTION TO DISMISS GRANTED.
REMANDED TO THE OFFICE OF
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FOR THE
SETTING OF AN APPEAL BOND IN
COMPLIANCE WITH LA.R.S 23:1310.5(C).

Paul H. Benoist
BENOIST LAW OFFICES
329 Market Street
Natchez, Mississippi 39120
(601) 445-4148
Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellee:
Kevin Coolidge

Craig S. Watson
Attorney at Law
3909 Plaza Tower Drive
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70816
(225) 292-3800
Counsel for Defendant/Appellant:
Austin Butler, DBA Austin’s Auto Salvage

PICKETT, Judge.

Kevin Coolidge (Coolidge) filed a motion to dismiss the appeal of Austin

Butler, dba Austin’s Auto Salvage (Austin’s Auto), alleging that the appeal is

untimely because Austin’s Auto did not post a bond in compliance with La.R.S.

23:1310.5(C). For the reasons that follow, we dismiss the appeal and remand the

matter to the Office of Workers’ Compensation (OWC) for the setting of a bond in

compliance with the applicable law.

This appeal arises out of an alleged on-the-job injury that occurred on April

29, 2014. Coolidge was employed by Austin’s Auto as a mechanic. Coolidge

alleged that he was working on a motor when it fell on his hand, causing a screw to

go through his hand. He filed a 1008 on July, 7, 2007. The matter proceeded to

trial on September 4, 2015. The Workers’ Compensation Judge (WCJ) took the

matter under advisement and issued written reasons for ruling on January 11, 2016.

The WCJ ruled in favor of Coolidge and against Austin’s Auto. The WCJ found

that the accident occurred within the course of scope of Coolidge’s employment;

that Coolidge was entitled to medical treatment and payment of all related,

reasonable, and necessary medical expenses; that Coolidge was entitled to

temporary total disability (TTD), supplemental earnings benefits (SEB), and

indemnity benefits; and that Austin’s Auto was arbitrary and capricious in failing

to provide workers’ compensation benefits. The WCJ further awarded sanctions

and attorney’s fees to Coolidge.

A judgment in accordance with the written reasons was signed on June 29,

2016, and notice of judgment issued that same day. Austin’s Auto filed a motion

for appeal on August 29, 2016, and the WCJ signed an order of appeal on

September 1, 2016. Neither the notice of appeal nor the order specified whether

the appeal was suspensive or devolutive. On September 2, 2016, the OWC issued

a notice of appeal indicating that the appeal was devolutive. A notice of estimated

appeal costs issued on September 9, 2016, and the amount was due twenty days

after receipt of the notice. Austin’s Auto received the notice on September 14,

2016, and timely paid the estimated costs of appeal on October 3, 2016. Notice of

a November 17, 2016 return date was issued.

The record was lodged in this court on November 21, 2016. On November

28, 2016, Coolidge filed the instant motion to dismiss appeal based on Austin’s

Auto failing to post an appeal bond in accordance with La.R.S. 23:1310.5(C).

Austin’s Auto opposed the motion to dismiss, alleging that since the WCJ failed to

assess an appeal bond, the case should be remanded to the OWC for compliance

with La.R.S. 23:1310.5.

Louisiana Revised Statutes 23:1310.5(C) (emphasis added) provides as

follows:

When there has been an award of benefits by the workers’
compensation judge, no appeal by an employer shall be entertained
by the appellate court unless the employer secures a bond with one or
more sureties to be approved by the workers’ compensation judge,
guaranteeing that the employer will pay the amount of the award
rendered therein together with interest thereon as otherwise provided
by law, and all costs of the proceeding. The time limits for perfecting
the bond shall be as provided in the Code of Civil Procedure, but
shall not commence to run against the appellant until the appellant
is notified by the workers’ compensation judge as to the amount of
the bond fixed in accordance with law.

Thus, in workers’ compensation matters, appeal bonds are required in both

suspensive and devolutive appeals where the claimant has been awarded benefits

and the employer seeks an appeal. However, the delay for posting the bond does

not begin to run until the appellant gets notification of the amount of the bond.

Coolidge seeks to have the appeal dismissed since it is undisputed that

Austin’s Auto did not post an appeal bond in this case. It is also undisputed that no

bond was set by the WCJ or the OWC. Thus, Austin’s Auto, on the other hand,
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asserts that the matter should be remanded to the OWC so that the amount of the

appeal bond can be fixed in compliance with La.R.S. 23:1310.5(C).

Austin’s Auto cites Hurst v. Arabi Taxi and Delivery Service, 96-108

(La.App. 5 Cir. 5/28/96), 675 So.2d 1210,1 in support of this proposition. In Hurst,

a cabdriver was murdered in his taxi while employed by Arabi Taxi and Delivery

Service. His mother was awarded death benefits, and the taxi service took a

suspensive appeal. The hearing officer did not set a bond, and none was filed. The

Fifth Circuit, on its own motion, dismissed the appeal as premature and remanded

the case to the OWC, ordering the OWC to comply with the requirements of

La.R.S. 23:1310.5.

Austin’s Auto also cites Agilus Health v. Dressler, Inc., 10-313 (La.App. 3

Cir. 4/14/10), 36 So.3d 385.2

The facts of this case are nearly identical to Hurst, 675 So.2d 1210. No

bond was set in this case. Therefore, since the delay for the posting the bond did

not begin to run and since the motion for appeal was timely filed after the notice of

judgment, this appeal cannot be dismissed as untimely. See Agilus Health, 36

So.3d 385.

1
Hurst, 675 So.2d 1210, was decided under a prior version of La.R.S. 23:1310.5(C);
however, that version required that a bond be secured with a surety approved by a hearing officer
before an employer could appeal a case where an award of benefits had been made. The version
of La.R.S. 23:1301.5 applicable in Hurst read:

When there has been an award of benefits by the hearing officer, no appeal
by an employer shall be entertained by the appellate court unless the employer
secures a bond with one or more sureties to be approved by the hearing officer,
guaranteeing that the employer will pay the amount of the award rendered therein
together with interest thereon as otherwise provided by law, and all costs of the
proceeding. The time limits for perfecting the bond shall be as provided in the
Code of Civil Procedure, but shall not commence to run against the appellant until
the appellant is notified by the hearing officer as to the amount of the bond fixed
in accordance with law.
2
Agilus Health, 36 So.3d 385, was decided under the current version of La.R.S.
23:1310.5(C).
3

We hereby dismiss the appeal of Austin’s Auto as premature. The matter is

remanded to the OWC for the setting of a bond in compliance with La.R.S.

23:1310.5(C).

MOTION TO DISMISS GRANTED. REMANDED TO THE OFFICE OF
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FOR THE SETTING OF AN APPEAL
BOND IN COMPLIANCE WITH LA.R.S. 23:1310.5(C).

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