- Court: Oregon Court of Appeals
- Area(s) of Law: Workers Compensation
- Date Filed: 04-19-2017
- Case #: A157714
- Judge(s)/Court Below: Garrett, J. for the Court; Ortega, P.J.; & Lagesen, J.
Employer appealed a judgment by the Worker’s Compensation Board. Employer assigned error to the Board’s determination that Employer had accepted Claimant’s worker’s compensation claim concerning an original injury in the context of a letter denying a new injury. On appeal, Employer argued that the letter was solely a denial of the new injury and never accepted the original injury. A single document may function as both an acceptance and a denial. Stockdale v. SAIF, 192 Or. App. 289, 84 P.3d 1120 (2004). The Court held that because a single document may function as both an acceptance and a denial, there was substantial evidence to find that the Board could have reasonably concluded the letter was an acceptance of Claimant’s claim for the original injury because the letter stated that “[a]ll benefits will be paid on [Claimant’s] prior claim” and “[Employer] hereby issue[s] a denial of the new injury.” Affirmed.