Baeza v. Casablanca Resort

Having considered the parties' arguments and the record on appeal, we conclude that substantial evidence supported the appeals officer's determination that appellant was ineligible for PTD benefits. In particular, the record demonstrates that appellant was found to have only a five-percent whole person impairment. The record also demonstrates that a functional capacity evaluation was performed on appellant and that the evaluation found appellant to be capable of performing medium-duty work. The record further demonstrates that a labor market survey listed potential job availabilities in the Mesquite area that could have possibly satisfied appellant's medium-duty work restrictions. Thus, the appeals officer was within her discretion in concluding that appellant's physical abilities counterbalanced appellant's age, experience, training, and education so as to render him ineligible for PTD benefits under the odd-lot doctrine.' Elizondo, 129 Nev. at , 312 P.3d at 482; Hildebrand, 100 Nev. at 51, 675 P.2d at 404. We therefore ORDER the judgment of the district court AFFIRMED. J, Hardesty J. Douglas - Cherry lAppellant argues that the appeals officer should have given more credence to Gerald Davis's opinion that appellant was entitled to PTD benefits. The appeals officer indicated, however, that Mr. Davis did not consider appellant's low whole person impairment or the functional capacity evaluation in rendering his opinion. Thus, we cannot conclude that the appeals officer abused her discretion by not giving more weight to Mr. Davis's opinion. Elizondo, 129 Nev. at , 312 P.3d at 482 (recognizing that this court defers to an appeals officer's credibility determinations). SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA 2 (0) 1947A e cc: Hon. Jessie Elizabeth Walsh, District Judge Janet Trost, Settlement Judge Diaz & Galt, LLC/Reno Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP/Las Vegas Eighth District Court Clerk SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA 3 (0) 1947A