{"id":"alj-H406456-2026-02-12","awcc_number":"H406456","decision_date":"2026-02-12","opinion_type":"alj","claimant_name":"Parades Santmaria","employer_name":"Walmart Associates, Inc","title":"PAREDES VS. WALMART ASSOCIATES, INC. AWCC# H406456 February 12, 2026","outcome":"denied","outcome_keywords":["denied:4"],"injury_keywords":["wrist","hip","shoulder","back","neck","rotator cuff"],"pdf_url":"https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/SANTMARIA_PARADES_REGINA_H406456-20260212.pdf","source_index_url":"https://labor.arkansas.gov/workers-comp/awcc-opinions/administrative-law-judge-opinions/","filename":"SANTMARIA_PARADES_REGINA_H406456-20260212.pdf","text_length":26169,"full_text":"BEFORE THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION \n \n WCC NO. H406456 \n \nREGINA SANTAMARIA PAREDES, Employee CLAIMANT \n \nWALMART ASSOCIATES, INC., Employer RESPONDENT \n \nWALMART CLAIMS SERVICES, Carrier RESPONDENT \n \n \n \n OPINION FILED FEBRUARY 12, 2026 \n \nHearing   before   ADMINISTRATIVE   LAW   JUDGE   ERIC   PAUL   WELLS   in   Springdale, \nWashington County, Arkansas. \n \nClaimant represented by EVELYN E. BROOKS, Attorney at Law, Fayetteville, Arkansas. \n \nRespondents represented by JAMES A. ARNOLD II, Attorney at Law, Fort Smith, Arkansas. \n \n STATEMENT OF THE CASE \n \n On November 18, 2025, the above captioned claim came on for a hearing at Springdale, \nArkansas.   A pre-hearing conference was conducted on September 22, 2025, and a Pre-hearing \nOrder  was  filed  on September  23,  2025.      A  copy  of  the  Pre-hearing  Order  has  been  marked \nCommission's Exhibit No. 1 and made a part of the record without objection. \n At the pre-hearing conference the parties agreed to the following stipulations: \n 1. The Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission has jurisdiction of this claim. \n 2. The  relationship  of  employee-employer-carrier  existed  between  the  parties on  May \n24, 2024. \n 3. The  claimant  sustained  a  compensable  injury  to  her  right  wrist  on  or  about  May  24, \n2024. The respondents have controverted all other alleged injuries. \n 4. The claimant’s weekly compensation rates will be determined at a later date. \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-2- \n By agreement of the parties the issues to litigate are limited to the following: \n 1. Whether Claimant sustained a compensable injury to her right hip on or about May 24, \n2024. \n 2. Whether Claimant is entitled to medical treatment for her right hip injury. \n 3. Whether Claimant sustained a compensable consequence of her right wrist injury in the \nform of a left shoulder injury. \n 4. Whether Claimant is entitled to medical treatment for her left shoulder injury. \n The claimant's contentions are as follows: \n“Claimant  contends  she  sustained  a  compensable  consequence \ninjury  to  her  left  shoulder  and  right  hip  and  is  entitled  to  medical \ntreatment  and  to  temporary  total  disability  benefits  from  her  date \nlast  worked  to  a  date  yet  to  be  determined.  Claimant  reserves  all \nother issues.” \n \n The respondents’ contentions are as follows: \n“Respondents     contend     that     they     have     paid     appropriate \ncompensation benefits and further controvert Claimant’s alleged \nleft shoulder injury and alleged right hip injury in their entirety.” \n \n The  claimant  in  this  matter  is  a 54-year-old  female who  sustained  a compensable injury \nto her right wrist on or about May 24, 2024. The claimant also alleges to have sustained an injury \nto  her  right  hip  in  that  same  May  24,  2024,  incident.  The  claimant  further  alleges  that  she \nsustained  a  compensable  consequence  of  her  right  wrist  injury  in  the  form  of  a  left  shoulder \ninjury.  The  claimant  gave  direct  examination  testimony  about  her  May  24,  2024,  incident  as \nfollows: \nQ And what happened on May 24\nth\n of last year? \n \nA So that 24\nth\n, I remember that there was a connection of the \nhose that the guys the night before, they had connected. \n \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-3- \n So  that  day  we  changed  the  oil  and  we  needed  to  change \nthe filter that goes inside of the oil. And since the hose that there is \nto wash the dishes, it didn’t have enough power, so I used the hose \nthat had more pressure to clean the filter. \n \n And  so  the  water  with  the  soak  started  coming  out  and  in \njust  a  few  seconds  everything  was  full  of  water.  And  so  that  is \nwhen  I  shut  it  off  and  I  slid  on  the  right  side  and  after  that,  since \nthen, my life has changed. \n \nQ So  when  you  slid  on  the  right  side,  did  you  fall  to  the \nground? \n \nA Exactly. I fell to the ground. It was a very hard fall. When I \nfell down, Reynalda, a co-worker – \n \nQ Wait. I would like to ask you something different. \n \n So when you fell down, how did you land? \n \nA On  this  side  (indicating).  It  was  like  this.  It  was  on  this \nside. It was something so strong on my hip on this side. \n \n THE  COURT:  I  will  note  for  the  record  the  Claimant  is \nindicating the right side of her body. \n \n THE  WITNESS:  Yes,  my  right  side.  It  was  on  the  right \nside where I hit. It was my arm. It was the three things. It was my \narm  and  right  here  (indicating),  but  it  was  very  hard.  It  was  my \nright hand, my right shoulder, and my right hip is where the blow \nhappened. \n \nQ [BY MS. BROOKS]: Okay. So did someone see you fall? \n \nA Yes. Reynalda. \n \nQ And did you file a report about the injury? \n \nA I let my boss J. know that I had fallen down. He told me to \nlet Angelica know. And I told her when she came back to the deli, \nbut I kept working because she told me to keep working. \n \n And then at the end, so I worked through the pain, with the \npain. I took Tylenol and when I finished my day, they told me to – \nthey took me to see somebody. \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-4- \n \n The  claimant  is  first  seen  by Nurse Practitioner  Bobby  Komers  on  May  24,  2024. \nFollowing is a portion of that medical record: \nPATIENT DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT \nPatient  states  that  she  was  moving  the  hose  to  clean  a  filter  and \nwater  leaked  out  at  the  connection.  She  states  she  slipped  and  fell \nonto her right hip and put her right arm to catch herself. She states \nshe is having right hip, right wrist, right shoulder and neck pain. \n \nCHIEF COMPLAINT \nFall injury. \n \nHISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS \nRegina’s  primary  problem  is  pain  located  in  the  right  hip.  She \ndescribes  it  as  aching.  She  considers  it  to  be  moderate.  The \nproblem  began  on  5/24/2024.  Regina  says  that  it  seems  to  be \nvariable – depending  on  the  activity  level.  She  feels  it  is  stable. \nRegina’s secondary problem is pain located in the right arm, wrist, \nshoulder.  She  describes  it  as  aching.  She  considers  it  to  be \nmoderate.  The  problem  began  on  5/24/2024.  Regina  says  that  it \nseems to be variable – depending on the activity level. She feels it \nis stable. \nRegina’s tertiary problem is pain located in the neck. She describes \nit  as  aching.  She  considers  it  to  be  moderate.  The  problem  began \non  5/24/2024.  Regina  says  that  it  seems  to  be  intermittent.  She \nfeels it is stable. \n \n*** \nDIAGNOSIS \n1. Right Hip Pain (M25.551). \n2. Pain in right shoulder (M25.511). \n3. Pain in right wrist (M25.531) \n4. Cervicalgia (M54.2). \n \n*** \nTREATMENT PLAN \nHeat/Ice.  OTC  Tylenol  since  patient  reports  she  is  unable  to  take \nIbuprofen. Wear wrist splint as tolerated. \n \n*** \nRECOMMENDED WORK STATUS \nRegina’s recommended work status is Restricted Duty. \n \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-5- \nRECOMMENDED ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS \nNo  overhead  work  right  arm,  No  push/pull/lift  more  than  5  lbs. \nwith the right arm. \n \n On  May  31,  2024,  the  claimant  is  seen  by  APRN  Dominque  Carver.  Following  is  a \nportion of that medical record: \nPATIENT STATEMENT ON CURRENT VISIT \nRecheck Statement: Patient states that her right hip, right wrist and \nneck have not improved. \n \n*** \nHISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS \nRegina’s  primary  problem  is  pain  located  in  the  neck.  She \ndescribes  it  as  aching.  She  considers  it  to  be  moderate.  The \nproblem  began  on  5/24/2024.  Regina  says  that  it  seems  to  be \nvariable – depending  on  the  activity  level.  She  feels  it  is  not \nimproving. Regina’s secondary problem is pain located in the right \nhip.  She  describes  it  as  aching.  She  considers  it  to  be  moderate. \nThe  problem  began  on  5/24/2024.  Regina  says  that  it  seems  to  be \nvariable – depending  on  the  activity  level.  She  feels  it  is  not \nimproving. Regina’s tertiary problem is pain located in the right \nwrist, right shoulder. She describes it as aching. She considers it to \nbe moderate. The problem began on 5/24/2024. Regina says that it \nseems to be variable – depending on the activity level. She feels it \nis not improving. \n \n*** \nDIAGNOSIS \n1. Right Hip Pain (M25.551). \n2. Pain in right shoulder (M25.211).  \n3. Pain in right wrist (M25.531). \n4. Cervicalgia (M54.2). \n \nASSESSMENT \nNumber  and  Complexity  of  Problems  Addressed:  2  or  more  self-\nlimited or minor problems. \n \nTREATMENT PLAN \nRecommend  OTC  pain  relievers,  heat,  ice  and  topical  muscle \nointment. She was given an opportunity to ask questions about her \ncare.   She   verbalized   understanding.   She   was   given   a   steroid \ninjection today. She will start physical therapy for this problem. \n \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-6- \n*** \nRECOMMENDED WORK RESTRICTIONS \nNo push/pull/lift more than 5 lbs. with the right arm. No overhead \nwork right arm. Avoid hanging chicken or slicing deli meats. \n \n On  October  3,  2024,  the  claimant  was  seen  by Nurse Practitioner  M.  Daniel  at  Mercy \nClinic Primary Care in Centerton, Arkansas. Following is a portion of that medical record: \nChief Complaint \nPatient presents with \n* Shoulder pain \nLeft shoulder x 1 month \n \nHistory of Present Illness \nThe patient presents for evaluation of left shoulder pain. \n \nShe  experienced  a  fall  on  a  concrete  floor  at  her  workplace, \nWalmart,  on  05/24/2024,  which  resulted  in  an  injury  to  her  right \nshoulder.   Following   the   incident,   she   was   placed   on   work \nrestrictions,  limiting  her  from  pushing,  pulling,  lifting  over  her \nhead,  or  lifting  more  than  10  pounds.  She  has  been  using  her  left \nside more due to discomfort on her right side. \n \nAfter two days of performing tasks such as sweeping the floor, she \nbegan  to  experience  severe  pain  in  her  left  shoulder,  which  has \nnow spread to her entire back. The pain is so intense that it disrupts \nher sleep. She describes the pain as a sharp, pulling sensation. She \nhas been applying Voltaren gel for some relief. \n \nShe was prescribed exercises by a doctor at Walmart, but they have \nnot  alleviated  her  pain.  Despite  being  told  that  her  left  shoulder \nissue  is  unrelated  to  her  accident,  she  believes  otherwise.  She  is \ncurrently undergoing physical therapy at Bentonville, but it has not \nbeen  effective.  She  was  given  muscle  relaxants  after  the  accident, \nwhich provided some relief. She is seeking further treatment as she \nis unable to bear the pain any longer. \n \nThe  claimant  underwent  an  x-ray  of  the  left  shoulder  at  that  time  which  gave  an  impression  of \n“no acute osseous abnormalities of the left shoulder.” \n On  November  6,  2024,  the  claimant  was  seen  by  Dr.  J.  Hall  at  Mercy  Clinic  Primary \nCare, Centerton. Following is a portion of that medical record: \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-7- \nHistory of Present Illness \nThe  patient  is  a  53-year-old  female  here  for  evaluation  of  left \nshoulder pain. \n \nShe experienced an accident at Walmart on 05/24/2024, where she \nslipped  on  a  wet  floor  and  injured  her  right  shoulder.  Despite  the \ninitial   injury   being   to   her   right   shoulder,   she   is   currently \nexperiencing  pain  in  her  left  shoulder.  She  has  been  undergoing \nphysical   therapy   for   her   left   shoulder,   but   reports   minimal \nimprovement.  She  has  expressed  interest  in  receiving  an  injection \nfor her shoulder pain. \n \n*** \nAssessment & Plan \nLeft rotator cuff tendinopathy \nThe  left  shoulder  pain  is  likely  due  to  rotator  cuff  tendinopathy, \npossibly   exacerbated   by   increased   use   of   the   left   shoulder \nfollowing  an  injury  to  the  right  shoulder.  An  ultrasound  guided \nsubacromial   steroid   injection   will   be   administered   today   to \nalleviate  the  pain.  See  procedure  notes  for  more  details.  She  is \nadvised  to  continue  with  her  physical  therapy  regimen.  If  there  is \nno  improvement  in  her  condition,  an  MRI  of  the  shoulder  will  be \nconsidered. \n \nAt  that  time  the  claimant  underwent  ultrasound  guided  corticosteroid  injection  of  the  left \nsubacromial bursa. \n On  February  25,  2025,  the  claimant  is  again  seen  at  Mercy  Clinic  Primary  Care. \nFollowing is a portion of that medical record: \nHistory of Present Illness \nThe patient is a 53-year-old female who presents today to discuss a \npotential  MRI.  She  has  low  back  pain,  left-sided  shoulder  pain \nsince September, and right-sided hip pain. \n \nShe reports experiencing severe left-sided shoulder pain, which she \nattributes  to  overexertion  during  a  two-day  floor  cleaning  task  at \nher workplace. Despite being advised by a physician at Walmart to \navoid using her  right hand due to a previous fall, she continues to \nperform  her  daily  duties  without  any  modifications.  The  pain  has \nprogressively  worsened,  even  with  physical  therapy,  and  now \ndisrupts  her  sleep.  She  has  not  consulted  an  orthopedic  specialist \nfor  this  issue.  An  x-ray  of  her  shoulder  was  previously  obtained \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-8- \nand   was   normal.   She   has   been   diagnosed   with   a   permanent \nrestriction by the physician at Walmart, but her  work assignments \nremain unchanged. A steroid injection administered by Dr. Hall in \nNovember    provided    temporary    relief.    She    was    prescribed \ndiclofenac  by  Dr.  Hall  but  discontinued  it  due  to  adverse  effects. \nShe has found some relief with a topical cream  but has run out of \nit. \n \nShe  also  reports  a  sensation  of  a  knot  in  her  right  hip  when  she \nmoves her leg in a certain way. She has not received any treatment \nfor this symptom. \n \n*** \nAssessment & Plan \n1. Left sided Shoulder Pain \nThe etiology of the pain is likely attributable to a rotator cuff issue. \nShe  reports  that  physical  therapy  has  not  been  effective,  and  the \npain  persists  despite  a  previous  steroid  injection.  A  referral  to  an \northopedic  specialist  will  be  initiated  for  further  evaluation  and \npotential  imaging  studies,  such  as  an  MRI.  A  prescription  for \nVoltaren gel will be provided to manage the pain. \n \n2. Right-sided hip pain \nThe  pain  appears  to  be  localized  to  the  bursa,  suggesting  possible \nbursitis.  Physical  therapy  will  be  recommended  to  address  this \nissue.  A  prescription  for  Voltaren  gel  will  be  provided  to  manage \nthe pain. \n \n The  claimant  underwent  an  MRI of  the  left  shoulder  at  Mercy  Clinic  Bentonville  on \nMarch 21, 2025. Following are Dr. Dominic Jacobelli’s impressions from that diagnostic testing: \nIMPRESSION \n1.  Mild  rotator  cuff  tendinosis.  No  full-thickness  or  high-grade \npartial-thickness tendon tear. \n2. Mild subacromial subdeltoid bursitis. \n \n On June 24, 2025, the claimant is seen via a video visit with Mercy Clinic Primary Care, \nCenterton. The claimant’s medical record from that video visit, in part, states: \nHistory of Present Illness \nThe patient presents for evaluation of right shoulder pain and right \nhip pain. \n \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-9- \nShe is currently undergoing physical therapy for her right shoulder, \nwhich she reports as being painful. She is seeking a return-to-work \nnote  from  her  primary  care  physician,  with  the  understanding  that \nher  employer  will  assess  her  capabilities  and  limitations.  Her  job \ninvolves  lifting,  bending,  and  standing,  including  handling  45-\npound  boxes  of  chicken.  She  was  initially  scheduled  to  return  to \nwork  on  07/07/2025,  but  due  to  persistent  pain,  she  is  requesting \nan  extension  of  her  leave.  She  is  unable  to  lift  20  pounds  during \nher  therapy  sessions.  She  is  attending  physical  therapy  twice  a \nweek and has been advised by her therapist to allow more time for \nrecovery. She first consulted Dr. Elliott for this issue in 02/2025. \n \nAdditionally,   she   experiences   pain   in   her   right   hip   when \nperforming certain movements. She is considering an MRI scan to \nfurther  investigate  the  cause  of  her  hip  pain.  She  has  previously \nundergone  physical  therapy  for  this  issue  and  recalls  having  an  x-\nray of her hip, which did not reveal any fractures. \n \n On  July  23,  2025,  the  claimant  underwent  an  MRI  of  the  right  hip.  Following  are  DO \nTanner Nichols’ impressions of that diagnostic testing: \nIMPRESSION: \n1. Complex labral tearing. \n2. Joint effusion with abnormal internal signal intensity which may \nrepresent displaced labral fragments and/or synovial thickening. \n3. Small anterior synovial cyst. \n4. Mild diffuse degenerative change. \n \n It is the claimant’s burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that she sustained \na compensable right hip injury in the same incident on May 24, 2024, in which she sustained  a \ncompensable right wrist injury.  \nIn  order  to  prove  a  compensable  injury  as  the  result  of  a  specific  incident  that  is \nidentifiable by time and place of occurrence, a claimant must establish by a preponderance of the \nevidence  (1)  an  injury  arising  out  of  and  in  the  course  of  employment;  (2)  the  injury  caused \ninternal or external harm to the body which required medical services or resulted in disability or \ndeath;  (3)  medical  evidence  supported  by  objective  findings  establishing  an  injury;  and  (4)  the \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-10- \ninjury was caused by a specific incident identifiable by time and place of occurrence. Odd Jobs \nand More v. Reid, 2011 Ark. App. 450, 384 S.W. 3d 630. \n I  acknowledge  that  the  claimant  did  report  pain  in  her  right  hip  immediately  after  the \nincident  while  at  Conservative  Care  Occupational  Health.  At  that  same  time  the  claimant  also \nreported pain to her right wrist, right shoulder, and neck pain. The claimant does report right hip \nproblems for a period of time after her initial injury, but significant stretches of the claimant’s \nmedical records do not reflect right hip pain or difficulties.  \n Her  right  hip  MRI,  performed  on  July  23,  2025,  reveals  complex  labral  tearing,  joint \neffusion with abnormal internal signal intensity which may represent displaced labral fragments \nand/or synovial thickening, a small anterior synovial cyst and mild effused degenerative changes. \nHowever, prior to her May 24, 2024, incident the claimant underwent a CT of the abdomen and \npelvis without contrast on April 29, 2024. That diagnostic testing was done due to flank pain and \nsuspected  stone  disease  but  also  revealed  an  “asymmetric  right  hip  joint  effusion.  Mild \ndegenerative changes of the spine, hips and SI joints.” The claimant had another CT of the \nabdomen and pelvis without contrast on July 2, 2024, again for urological problems. I note this \nCT scan was after the claimant’s alleged right hip injury and the report, in part, states, “right hip \njoint effusion is present similar to the previous exam.” I note that the record is referring to the \nclaimant’s April 29, 2024, CT scan.  \n I do believe the claimant had pain on the right side of her body after she fell on May 24, \n2024.  However,  the  derangement  in  her  right hip MRI  dated  July  23,  2025,  is  already  present \nbefore her fall in her April 29, 2024, CT scan and similar derangement is present in her July 2, \n2024,  CT  scan  after  her  fall.  The  claimant  is  unable  to  prove  that  she  sustained  a  compensable \ninjury to her right hip on or about May 24, 2024.  \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-11- \n The claimant has asked the Commission to determine if she sustained a compensable left \nshoulder injury as a compensable consequence of her compensable right wrist injury.  \n If an injury is compensable, every natural consequence of that injury is likewise \ncompensable. Air Compressor Equipment Co. v Sword, 69 Ark. App. 162, 11 S.W. 3d 1 (2000). \nThe test is whether a causal connection exists between the two episodes. Sword, supra. \n When the primary injury is shown to have arisen out of and in the course of employment, \nevery natural consequence that flows from the injury is compensable unless it is the result of an \nindependent  intervening  cause.    The  basic  test  is  whether  there  is  a  causal  connection  between \nthe two conditions.  Jeter v. B.R. McGinty Mechanical, 62 Ark. App. 53, 968 S.W.2d 645 (1998), \nBearden Lumber Company v. Bond, 7 Ark. App. 65, 644 S.W.2d 321 (1983). \n On  direct  examination  the  claimant  testified  about  her  left  shoulder  problems  that  she \nbelieves  exists  due  to  her continued  work  for  the  respondent  under  work  restrictions  which \ncaused her an inability to use her right wrist due to her compensable right wrist injury as follows: \nQ Now, at some point after your fall in May of 2024, did your \nleft shoulder begin to bother you? \n \nA Yes, because I was not able to use my right wrist. Yes, and \nI had to be using my left hand. \n \nQ Okay. When is the first time you remember noticing pain in \nyour left shoulder? \n \nA I  will  never  forget  it.  It  was  in  September.  It  was  at  the \nbeginning of September. \n \nQ And what happened? \n \nA My boss, Angelica, knew that I had restrictions, so they put \nme  washing  the  floor  in  front  of  the  deli.  Then  I  think  that  had \nnever  been  cleaned  before  because  I  used  a  spatula  to  take  the \nblack  stuff  from  each  brick.  That  black  thing,  the  greasy  thing. \nAnd, yes, that was very painful. \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-12- \n \n And then from there, the following day, Mr. J., that is – \n \n THE INTERPRETER: May the interpreter clarify? \n \n THE WITNESS: Mr. J., that is the coach that we have there \nat  the  store,  Mr.  J.  told  me  that  I  had  to  continue  doing  that  the \nfollowing  day  because  Mr.  Brian,  the  store  manager,  had  said  it \nwas not clean. \n \n And I said, “But it is clean.” \n \n And he told me, “No. He said that it was dirty.” \n \n So I continued doing that the following day. \n \nQ [BY MS. BROOKS]: So what kind of things did you use to \nclean the floor and the bricks, all of the utensils that you used? \n \nA I used soap. I used that spatula. I used a lot of napkins to be \ndrying up where I was cleaning up. And then at the end I used the \nbig mop to finish cleaning it. \n \nQ And were you doing this with both hands? \n \nA With my left arm because on the right arm – \n \n THE INTERPRETER: May the interpreter clarify? \n \n THE WITNESS: -- I had a brace that the doctor had put on \nmy right arm. \n \nQ [BY  MS.  BROOKS]:  So  on  Claimant’s  Nonmedical \nExhibit at Page 11, we have a picture. Is this a picture that you sent \nto me? \n \nA Yes. \n \nQ And is that you? \n \nA Yes. \n \nQ And is that part of the area that you were cleaning? \n \nA Yes. And I have a brush there, too. \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-13- \n \nQ Okay.  And  before  those  two  days  cleaning,  had  you  ever \nhad any problems with your left shoulder? \n \nA No. \n \nQ Did  you  report  the  problems  with  your  left  shoulder  to \nWalmart? \n \nA Yes,  but  they  told  me  the  accident  had  happened  only  on \nthe right side, not on the left side. \n \n The claimant’s MRI of her left shoulder on March 21, 2025, revealed “mild rotator cuff \ntendinosis.  No  full-thickness  or  high-grade  partial-thickness  tendon  tear  and  mild  subacromial \nsubdeltoid bursitis.” \n The claimant’s difficulties with her left shoulder are degenerative in nature and  not the \nresult  of  the  incident  in  which  she  alleges  in  her  direct  testimony  quoted  above.  It  is  far  more \nreasonable that the claimant’s degenerative difficulties of the left shoulder are a result of use \nover  a  long  period  of  time  and  most reasonably longer  than  the  two-day  period  in  which  she \ntestified  they  began.  It  is  the  claimant’s  burden  to  prove  that  she  sustained  a  compensable \nconsequence  left  shoulder  injury  as  a  result  of  her  compensable  right  wrist  injury.  Here she  is \nunable to do so. \n From a review of the record as a whole, to include medical reports, documents, and other \nmatters properly before the Commission, and having had an opportunity to hear the testimony of \nthe witness and to observe her demeanor, the following findings of fact  and conclusions of law \nare made in accordance with A.C.A. §11-9-704: \n \n \n \n\nSantamaria Paredes – H406456 \n \n-14- \n FINDINGS OF FACT & CONCLUSIONS OF LAW \n 1.  The  stipulations  agreed  to  by  the  parties  at  the  pre-hearing  conference  conducted  on \nSeptember 22, 2025, and contained in a Pre-hearing Order filed September 23, 2025, are hereby \naccepted as fact. \n 2. The claimant has failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that she sustained \na compensable injury to her right hip on or about May 24, 2024. \n 3. The claimant has failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that she is entitled \nto medical treatment for her alleged right hip injury. \n 4. The claimant has failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that she sustained \nan  injury  to  her  left  shoulder  as  a  compensable  consequence  of  her  compensable  right  shoulder \ninjury. \n 5. The claimant has failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that she is entitled \nto medical treatment for her alleged left shoulder injury. \n ORDER \nPursuant  to  the  above  findings  and  conclusions,  I  have  no  alternative  but  to  deny  this \nclaim in its entirety. \nIf  they  have  not  already  done  so,  the  respondents  are  directed  to  pay  the  court  reporter, \nVeronica Lane, fees and expenses within thirty (30) days of receipt of the invoice. \n IT IS SO ORDERED. \n \n                                ____________________________                                               \n       HONORABLE ERIC PAUL WELLS \n       ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE","preview":"BEFORE THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION WCC NO. H406456 REGINA SANTAMARIA PAREDES, Employee CLAIMANT WALMART ASSOCIATES, INC., Employer RESPONDENT WALMART CLAIMS SERVICES, Carrier RESPONDENT OPINION FILED FEBRUARY 12, 2026 Hearing before ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE ERIC PAUL WELLS in Springdale, Washington Co...","fetched_at":"2026-05-19T22:32:04.631Z","links":{"html":"/opinions/alj-H406456-2026-02-12","pdf":"https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/SANTMARIA_PARADES_REGINA_H406456-20260212.pdf","source_publisher":"https://labor.arkansas.gov/workers-comp/awcc-opinions/administrative-law-judge-opinions/"}}