{"id":"alj-H503974-2026-01-15","awcc_number":"H503974","decision_date":"2026-01-15","opinion_type":"alj","claimant_name":"Trevon Boyd","employer_name":"City Of Fayetteville","title":"BOYD VS. CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE AWCC# H503974 January 15, 2026","outcome":"denied","outcome_keywords":["dismissed:1","denied:2"],"injury_keywords":["ankle"],"pdf_url":"https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/BOYD_TREVON_H503974_20260115.pdf","source_index_url":"https://labor.arkansas.gov/workers-comp/awcc-opinions/administrative-law-judge-opinions/","filename":"BOYD_TREVON_H503974_20260115.pdf","text_length":9490,"full_text":"BEFORE THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION \n \n WCC NO. H503974 \n \nTREVON BOYD, Employee CLAIMANT \n \nCITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, Employer RESPONDENT \n \nARKANSAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, Carrier RESPONDENT \n \n \n \n OPINION FILED JANUARY 15, 2026 \n \nHearing   before   ADMINISTRATIVE   LAW   JUDGE GREGORY   K.   STEWART in \nSpringdale, Washington County, Arkansas. \n \nClaimant unrepresented and appearing pro se. \n \nRespondents represented by MARY K. EDWARDS, Attorney at Law, North Little Rock, \nArkansas. \n \n \n STATEMENT OF THE CASE \n \n On December  10,  2025,  the  above  captioned  claim  came  on  for  a  hearing  at \nSpringdale,  Arkansas.      A  pre-hearing  conference  was  conducted  on September  24, \n2025,  and  a pre-hearing  order  was  filed on that  same  date. A  copy  of  the  Pre-hearing \nOrder  has  been  marked  Commission's  Exhibit  No.  1  and  made  a  part  of  the  record \nwithout objection. \n At the pre-hearing conference the parties agreed to the following stipulations: \n1.    The  Arkansas  Workers'  Compensation  Commission  has  jurisdiction  of  the \nwithin claim. \n2.    The  employee/employer/carrier  relationship  existed  among  the  parties  on \nJune 21, 2025. \n\nBoyd – H503974 \n \n-2- \nAt the time of the hearing, the parties agreed to stipulate that claimant earned an \naverage   weekly   wage   of   $1,575.74,   which   would   entitle   him   to   the   maximum \ncompensation  rates  of  $903.00  for  total  disability  benefits  and  $677.00  for  permanent \npartial disability benefits. \nThe issues to be litigated at the forthcoming hearing are as follows: \n1. Compensability of injury to left Achilles on June 21, 2025.  \n2. Related medical. \n3. Temporary total disability benefits. \nThe  claimant  contends  he  suffered  a  compensable  injury  to  his  left  Achilles  on \nJune 21, 2025. He requests payment of medical and temporary total disability benefits. \nThe respondents contend “that claimant cannot prove by a preponderance of the \nevidence that he sustained a compensable injury to his left ankle. Specifically, claimant \nwas not performing employment services at the time of the alleged injury. On June 21, \n2025,  claimant  was  participating  in  the  Battle  of  the  Badges  basketball  tournament, \nwhen  he  allegedly  injured  his  left  ankle.  Respondents  contend  that  he  was  not \nperforming his job duties at the time the injury occurred, that he was not clocked in, and \nthat he was not required to be at the tournament (strictly voluntary basis).” \n From a review of the record as a whole, to include medical reports, documents, \nand  other  matters  properly  before  the  Commission,  and  having  had  an  opportunity  to \nhear  the  testimony  of  the  witnesses and  to  observe their demeanor,  the  following \nfindings of fact and conclusions of law are made in accordance with A.C.A. §11-9-704: \n \n \n\nBoyd – H503974 \n \n-3- \n FINDINGS OF FACT & CONCLUSIONS OF LAW \n 1. The  stipulations  agreed  to  by  the  parties  at  the  pre-hearing  conference \nconducted on September 24, 2025, and contained in a pre-hearing order filed that same \ndate are hereby accepted as fact. \n 2. The  parties’  stipulation  that  claimant  earned  an  average  weekly  wage  of \n$1,575.74, which would entitle him to the maximum compensation rates of $903.00 for \ntotal  disability  and  $677.00  for  permanent  partial  disability  benefits  is  also  hereby \naccepted as fact.  \n 3.  Claimant has  failed  to meet his  burden of  proving by a preponderance  of  the \nevidence that he suffered a compensable injury to his left Achilles on June 21, 2025. \n \nFACTUAL BACKGROUND \n Claimant began working for respondent as a patrol officer on February 24, 2020. \nIn  August  2023,  claimant  became  a  School  Resource  Officer.  He  typically  worked \nMonday-Friday from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. There were also times that he worked after \nschool  for  school  events  and  was  paid  for  that  time.  He  also  worked  traffic  for \nRazorback football games and was compensated for that time.  \n On  June  21,  2025,  a  Saturday,  claimant testified  that  he was  participating  in  a \ncharity basketball game and while attempting to steal the ball from another player tore \nhis left Achilles. Claimant testified that he underwent surgery to repair the torn Achilles \non July 29, 2025. He returned to work for respondent after the surgery, performing light \nduty work. \n\nBoyd – H503974 \n \n-4- \n Claimant has filed this claim contending that he suffered a compensable injury in \nthe  form  of  a  torn  left  Achilles  on  June  21,  2025.  He  requests  payment  of  medical \nbenefits and temporary total disability benefits for time off of work. \n \nADJUDICATION \n Claimant contends that he suffered a compensable injury in the form of a torn left \nAchilles while participating in a charity basketball game on June 21, 2025. Claimant’s \nclaim is for a specific injury identifiable by time and place of occurrence.  \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 \npreponderance  of  the  evidence  (1)  an  injury  arising  out  of  and  in  the  course  of \nemployment; (2) the injury caused internal or external harm to the body which required \nmedical  services  or  resulted  in  disability  or  death;  (3)  medical  evidence  supported  by \nobjective  findings  establishing  an  injury;  and  (4)  the  injury  was  caused  by  a  specific \nincident identifiable by time and place of occurrence.  Odd Jobs and More v. Reid, 2011 \nArk. App. 450, 384 S.W. 3d 630.  \nAfter my review of the evidence in this case impartially, without giving the benefit \nof the doubt to either party, I find that claimant has failed to meet his burden of proving a \ncompensable injury. \n Much of the testimony at the hearing related to whether claimant was performing \nemployment  services  while  participating  in  the  charity  basketball  game  on  June  21, \n2025.  Compensable  injuries  do  not  include  injuries  which  occur  when  employment \nservices   are   not   being   performed.   A.C.A. §11-9-102(4)(B)(iii).   An   employee   is \n\nBoyd – H503974 \n \n-5- \nperforming  employment  services  when  he  or  she  is  doing  something  that  is  generally \nrequired by his or her employer. Continental Construction Company v. Nabors, 215 Ark. \nApp. 60, 454 S.W.3d 762.  \n In  this  particular  case,  even  if  I  were  to  find  that  claimant  was  performing \nemployment  services  at  the  time  he  was  playing  in  a  charity  basketball  game,  I  would \nhave  to  find  that  claimant  has  not  satisfied  the  remaining  elements  of  compensability. \nRespondent  has  not stipulated  to  a  torn  Achilles.  Thus,  claimant  has  the  burden  of \nsatisfying all of the elements of compensability. One of those elements is that claimant \noffer  medical  evidence  supported  by  objective  findings  establishing  the  injury.  Here, \nthere  is  no  medical  evidence  in  the  record.  At  the  hearing,  claimant  offered  a  medical \nreport, but respondent objected to the admission of that report on the grounds that the \nmedical  record  had  not  been  provided  to  respondent  at  least  seven  days  prior  to  the \nhearing. As stated in the prehearing order, filed on September 24, 2025, no documents \nare to be allowed into evidence unless exchanged by the parties seven days prior to the \nhearing of the case on the merit, without leave of the Commission and upon a showing \nof  good  cause.  Claimant  acknowledged  that  he  did  not  provide  a  copy  of  the  medical \nreport  to  respondent  seven  days  prior  to  the  hearing  and  no  good  cause  was  shown. \nAccordingly, the medical report was not admitted into evidence.  \n Absent medical evidence  supported by  objective  findings,  claimant  cannot meet \nhis  burden  of  proof  for  a  compensable  injury  even  if  it  were  to  be  determined  that  he \nwas performing employment services at the charity basketball game. \n Unfortunately, given claimant’s acknowledgement that he did not exchange his \nmedical  records  with  respondent  seven  days  prior  to  the  hearing,  there  is  no  medical \n\nBoyd – H503974 \n \n-6- \nevidence  of  record  and  claimant  cannot  meet  his  burden  of  proof. Although  I  find \nclaimant  to  be  a  credible  witness  and  believe  his  testimony  that  he  suffered  a  torn \nAchilles on June 21, 2025, the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Law requires that all \nelements  of  compensability  be  proven.  One  of  those  elements  is  medical  evidence, \nsupported by objective findings, establishing the injury. Unfortunately, by not submitting \nthis   medical   evidence,   claimant   cannot   satisfy   this   element   of   compensability. \nTherefore, I must unfortunately find that claimant has failed to meet his burden of proof. \n \nORDER \n Claimant  has  failed  to  meet  his  burden  of  proving  by  a  preponderance  of  the \nevidence that he suffered a compensable injury to his left Achilles. Therefore, his claim \nfor  compensation benefits  is  hereby  denied and  dismissed. Respondents  are  liable  for \npayment of the court reporter’s charges for preparation of the hearing transcript in the \namount of $353.50. \n IT IS SO ORDERED. \n      _______________________________ \n      GREGORY K. STEWART \n      ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE","preview":"BEFORE THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION WCC NO. H503974 TREVON BOYD, Employee CLAIMANT CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, Employer RESPONDENT ARKANSAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, Carrier RESPONDENT OPINION FILED JANUARY 15, 2026 Hearing before ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE GREGORY K. STEWART in Springdale, Washington County, Arkansas...","fetched_at":"2026-05-19T22:32:57.366Z","links":{"html":"/opinions/alj-H503974-2026-01-15","pdf":"https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/BOYD_TREVON_H503974_20260115.pdf","source_publisher":"https://labor.arkansas.gov/workers-comp/awcc-opinions/administrative-law-judge-opinions/"}}