Iowa Court Denies Benefits for Welder Claiming Cumulative Exposure

DES MOINES, Iowa - A welder who blames his bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses on exposure to smoke and fumes at his welding job has been denied permanent or temporary disability benefits by the Iowa Court of Appeals, which declined to overrule a workers' compensation decision. Winter v. Rosenboom Machine & Tool Inc., Nos. 8-336 and 07-1515 (Iowa Ct. App.).

The Court of Appeals said in its June 11 opinion that it could reverse the trial court and workers' compensation commissioner only if it found the benefit decisions to be irrational, illogical, or wholly unjustifiable," and that, in this instance, …