Hoehn-Lewis v. HCA Florida North Florida Hospital / Broadspire Services

JCC Holley (Jacksonville) – (Matthew Bennett) (6-16-25) – Denied compensability and authorization of orthopedic specialist to treat the claimant’s upper extremities. The JCC found that the claimant’s IME physician, Dr. Shea, who opined that the major contributing cause of the claimant’s wrist conditions — bilateral wrist tenosynovitis, bilateral carpal-tunnel syndrome status post-carpal tunnel syndrome release and recurrent right carpal-tunnel motor nerve compression — was repetitive trauma associated with her occupational duties. Dr. Rogozinski, the E/C’s IME, opined that the major contributing cause of the claimant’s symptoms was not related to her work activity but rather an underlying autoimmune or rheumatologic condition. The court considered the Festa v Teleflex, Inc. opinion and related test for compensability of a repetitive trauma and found that the claimant has not met her burden of proving medical causation by clear and convincing evidence. Therefore, the claims for compensability and authorization of orthopedic specialist to treat claimant’s upper extremities were denied with prejudice along with the claim for costs of litigation and reasonable attorney’s fees. Click here to view Order