{"id":"full_commission-G503430-2023-05-05","awcc_number":"G503430","decision_date":"2023-05-05","opinion_type":"full_commission","claimant_name":"Byron Watkins","employer_name":"L.A. Darling Company, LLC","title":"WATKINS VS. L.A. DARLING COMPANY, LLC. AWCC# G503430 G902279 G902281 & G903969 MAY 5, 2023","outcome":"denied","outcome_keywords":["affirmed:1","dismissed:2","granted:2","denied:3"],"injury_keywords":[],"pdf_url":"https://labor.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Watkins_Byron_G503430-G902279-G902281-G903969_20230505.pdf","source_index_url":"https://labor.arkansas.gov/workers-comp/awcc-opinions/full-commission-opinions/","filename":"Watkins_Byron_G503430-G902279-G902281-G903969_20230505.pdf","text_length":2682,"full_text":"BEFORE THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION \n \n \nCLAIM NOS.  G503430 G902279 G902281 & G903969  \n \nBYRON D. WATKINS, \nEMPLOYEE \n \nCLAIMANT \nL.A. DARLING COMPANY, LLC.,  \nEMPLOYER \n \nRESPONDENT \nTRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY, \nINSURANCE CARRIER/TPA \n \nDEATH & PERMANENT TOTAL \nDISABILITY TRUST FUND \nRESPONDENT NO. 1  \n \n \nRESPONDENT NO. 2 \n  \n      \nOPINION FILED MAY 5, 2023 \n \nUpon review before the FULL COMMISSION in Little Rock, Pulaski County, \nArkansas. \n \nClaimant appeared pro se. \n \nRespondents No. 1 represented by the HONORABLE R. SCOTT \nZUERKER, Attorney at Law, Fort Smith, Arkansas. \n \nRespondents No. 2 represented by the HONORABLE CHRISTY L. KING, \nAttorney at Law, Little Rock, Arkansas. \n \n ORDER \n The claimant in the above-styled matter has filed an “Appeal” entitled \n“Objections of the Judge’s Opinion with Prejudice.”  The claimant asks the \nFull Commission to “disregard” the administrative law judge’s opinion, and \nthe claimant asks the Full Commission to allow introduction of photographs.  \nThe Full Commission denies the claimant’s motion.   \nAn administrative law judge filed an opinion on June 25, 2021.  The \nadministrative law judge found, among other things, that the claimant did \nnot prove he was entitled to additional benefits.  The Full Commission \n\nWATKINS - G503430, G902279, G902281 & G903969  2\n  \n \n \naffirmed and adopted the administrative law judge’s decision in an opinion \nfiled March 9, 2022.  The claimant appealed to the Arkansas Court of \nAppeals.  In a Formal Order February 22, 2023, the Court of Appeals \ngranted the respondents’ motion to dismiss the claimant’s appeal.  Watkins \nv. L.A. Darling Co., CV-22-451.  In a Formal Order entered March 29, 2023, \nthe Court of Appeals denied a motion by the claimant “to not dismiss case.”  \nWatkins v. L.A. Darling Co., CV-22-451.   \nWhen deciding any issue, the Commission shall determine, on the \nbasis of the record as a whole, whether the party having the burden of proof \non the issue has established it by a preponderance of the evidence.  Ark. \nCode Ann. §11-9-704(c)(2)(Repl. 2012).  In the present matter, the claimant \nhas not submitted any probative evidence demonstrating that the Full \nCommission should disregard the prior opinion of the administrative law \njudge, or that the Full Commission should allow submission of new \nphotographs.   \nThe Full Commission therefore denies the claimant’s motion.   \nIT IS SO ORDERED.     \n    ___________________________________ \n    SCOTTY DALE DOUTHIT, Chairman \n \n    ___________________________________ \n    M. SCOTT WILLHITE, Commissioner \n \n    ___________________________________ \n    MICHAEL R. MAYTON, Commissioner","preview":"BEFORE THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION CLAIM NOS. G503430 G902279 G902281 & G903969 BYRON D. WATKINS, EMPLOYEE CLAIMANT L.A. DARLING COMPANY, LLC., EMPLOYER RESPONDENT TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY, INSURANCE CARRIER/TPA DEATH & PERMANENT TOTAL DISABILITY TRUST FUND","fetched_at":"2026-05-19T22:29:46.367Z","links":{"html":"/opinions/full_commission-G503430-2023-05-05","pdf":"https://labor.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Watkins_Byron_G503430-G902279-G902281-G903969_20230505.pdf","source_publisher":"https://labor.arkansas.gov/workers-comp/awcc-opinions/full-commission-opinions/"}}