A key costumer for a large entertainment company was injured while moving a cardboard crate of costumes weighing approximately 150-200 pounds. He hyperextended his arm and felt immediate pain in his right wrist and right arm. His company did not want to pay full workers’ compensation benefits so he turned to Scott Goldstein at Ankin Law. Scott was able to get him a fair financial and medical settlement so he can become pain free and get back to work.
As a result of the arbitration the injured man will receive:
- Reasonable and necessary medical services already incurred in the amount of $28,182.41.
- Temporary total disability benefits of $1,848.20/week for 117 2/7 weeks.
- Spinal cord stimulator procedure, and all associated post-surgical care.
[Read the full arbitrator decision here]
The injured worker is employed as a key costumer for Entertainment Partners Enterprises LLC. He is responsible for procuring, preparing, hauling, and maintaining all costumes during television production. On May 1, 2023, while moving a heavy crate of costumes weighing approximately 150–200 pounds into a storage container, the Petitioner injured his right wrist and arm. He promptly reported the injury to the company that same day.
Following the injury, the injured man first sought medical care from his primary physician, Dr. R, who placed him off work. He was later referred to orthopedic specialist Dr. K, who ordered an MRI of his right wrist and arm. Seeking a second opinion, the he consulted Dr. S at an orthopedic clinic, who conducted further imaging, physical therapy, and ultimately recommended surgical intervention. Dr. S diagnosed him with a right distal bicep tendon tear, a right wrist TFCC tear, and cervical radiculopathy. The man underwent bicep tendon repair surgery in October 2023 and wrist arthroscopic surgery in January 2024, followed by physical therapy, but continued to report significant pain. Dr. S designated him at maximum medical improvement regarding orthopedic care in July 2025.
Due to persistent pain, the costumer was referred to pain management for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in his right upper extremity. Beginning treatment with Dr. M in August 2024, he received stellate ganglion block injections and a ketamine infusion, both providing only temporary relief. After exhausting these options, Dr. M recommended a spinal cord stimulator. So presently the injured man remains off work pending authorization for this procedure. Before May 1, 2023, he had no prior injuries or pain in his right arm or wrist.
Entertainment Partners Enterprises LLC commissioned independent medical examinations (IMEs) to evaluate the Petitioner’s condition. Dr. C initially suggested possible nerve entrapment but disputed the CRPS diagnosis due to the absence of typical objective signs such as color changes, temperature differences, or abnormal hair growth. After an EMG in October 2024 showed no abnormalities, Dr. C revised his findings, acknowledging the inconclusiveness regarding nerve involvement. Dr. B confirmed the necessity and reasonableness of the injured man’s orthopedic treatments but deferred any opinion on CRPS to a pain management specialist. Neither examiner indicated malingering or symptom exaggeration.
In the end the injured costumer provided testimony and photographic evidence of ongoing physical changes in his right arm and wrist, including splotchy red and purple discoloration and abnormal hair growth, consistent with CRPS symptoms. This documentation supports his continued treatment and pain management needs, highlighting the lasting impact of the work-related injury. As a result, the arbitrator awarded favorable workers’ compensation benefits.
