IN RE: the Claim of Olga OYOLA (2018)

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

Appeal from a decision of the Workers' Compensation Board, filed April 18, 2016, which ruled that claimant sustained a 70% loss of wage-earning capacity.

Claimant, a cafeteria worker, tripped and fell while at work, and the ensuing workers' compensation claim was established for injuries to her back, left elbow, left knee and left shoulder.  Following a hearing, a Workers' Compensation Law Judge (hereinafter WCLJ) classified claimant with a permanent partial disability and found that she had a 70% loss of wage-earning capacity and would be entitled to wage loss benefits for 375 weeks should she stop working (see generally Workers' Compensation Law § 15[3][w][vii] ).  The employer appealed from the decision and argued that claimant could not be found to have a loss of wage-earning capacity given that she had returned to work and was earning her preaccident wages.  The Workers' Compensation Board disagreed and affirmed, prompting this appeal.

We affirm.  Loss of wage-earning capacity is set at the time of classification and refers to “the maximum number of weeks over which a claimant with a permanent partial disability is entitled to receive benefits” (Matter of Till v. Apex Rehabilitation, 144 A.D.3d 1231, 1233, 40 N.Y.S.3d 661 [2016], lv denied 29 N.Y.3d 909, 57 N.Y.S.3d 714, 80 N.E.3d 407 [2017];  see Workers' Compensation Law § 15[3][w] ).  As such, “despite the fact that [a] claimant [is] working at full wages, the Board [is] entitled to establish ․ loss of wage-earning capacity, which sets a fixed durational limit on potential benefits in the event that [a] claimant incurs a subsequent reduction of wages as the result of his [or her] work-related injuries” (Matter of Perez v. Bronx Lebanon Hosp. Ctr., 151 A.D.3d 1159, 1160, 52 N.Y.S.3d 920 [2017] ).  The Board's decision falls squarely within this rule, and the employer's argument that this Court has left any ambiguity on the issue is without merit (see Matter of Perez v. Bronx Lebanon Hosp. Ctr., 151 A.D.3d at 1160, 52 N.Y.S.3d 920;  Matter of De Ruggiero v. City of N.Y. Dept. of Citywide Admin. Servs., 150 A.D.3d 1493, 1494, 55 N.Y.S.3d 493 [2017];  Matter of Barrett v. New York City Dept. of Transp., 147 A.D.3d 1167, 1167–1168, 46 N.Y.S.3d 444 [2017] ).  Accordingly, we will not disturb the Board's decision.

ORDERED that the decision is affirmed, without costs.

Devine, J.

McCarthy, J.P., Egan Jr., Mulvey and Rumsey, JJ., concur.