5th Circuit: Audiologists Qualify as 'Physicians' Under LHWCA

In a case of first impression, a federal appellate court ruled that audiologists are "physicians" for purposes of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. Clarence Jones, a Mississippi resident, worked for Huntington Ingalls Inc. as a sheet metal mechanic. After leaving the company in 2009, Jones complained of hearing loss. In April 2014, Jones met with an audiologist who administered a hearing test that generated an audiogram. The test indicated a 17.2% binaural hearing impairment under the American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation of P...