Roslynn Thom v. Lutheran Medical Center

The defendant employer, Lutheran Medical Center, at Omaha, and its insurer, Alexsis, Inc., appeal the Workers' Compensation
Court award of benefits to the plaintiff-appellee employee, Roslynn Thom. The issues presented by the assignments of error
argued by appellants are whether the evidence supports the compensation court's findings that Thom (1) suffered a loss of
earning power and (2) is entitled to vocational rehabilitation services. We affirm. The parties stipulated that on April 7, 1985, Thom, a registered nurse, suffered an injury to her back, while lifting a patient,
in an accident arising out of and in the course of her employment as a staff nurse. After seeing an emergency room physician,
Thom went to her family physician, who referred her to a neurosurgeon. In June 1985, she underwent the removal of two herniated
disks. On January 31, 1986, the treating neurosurgeon released Thom to return to work, having stated she had a 7- to 10-percent
disability of the body and would be limited in terms of lifting, bending, stooping, and sitting for prolonged periods of time.
Thom later saw an orthopedist, who was of the opinion that she suffered a 20- to 25-percent disability of the body.