6/7/2020
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Atlantic Marine Ltd.,[6] and subsequent rulings of this Court, should govern, considering
that the complaint of petitioner was filed on December 28, 2011. In the said decision of
this Court, it was ruled that a temporary total disability only becomes permanent when
so declared by the company physician within the periods he is allowed to do so, or upon
the expiration of the maximum 240-day medical treatment period without a declaration
of either fitness to work or the existence of a permanent disability. They also aver that
the failure of petitioner to follow the procedure of submitting conflicting assessments to
the opinion of an independent third doctor bars his claim for disability benefits. Finally,
they insist that the claim for damages and attorney's fees is bereft of any factual and
legal basis as there can be no malice, bad faith or ill-motive that can be imputed
against petitioner.
As a general rule, only questions of law raised via a petition for review under Rule 45 of
the Rules of Court[7] are reviewable by this Court.[8] Factual findings of administrative
or quasi-judicial bodies, including labor tribunals, are accorded much respect by this
Court as they are specialized to rule on matters falling within their jurisdiction
especially when these are supported by substantial evidence.[9] However, a relaxation
of this rule is made permissible by this Court whenever any of the following
circumstances is present:
1. [W]hen the findings are grounded entirely on speculations, surmises or
conjectures;
2. when the inference made is manifestly mistaken, absurd or impossible;
3. when there is grave abuse of discretion;
4. when the judgment is based on a misapprehension of facts;
5. when the findings of fact are conflicting;
6. when in making its findings[,] the Court of Appeals went beyond the
issues of the case, or its findings are contrary to the admissions of
both the appellant and the appellee;
7. when the findings are contrary to that of the trial court;
8. when the findings are conclusions without citation of specific evidence
on which they are based;
9. when the facts set forth in the petition[,] as well as in the petitioner's
main and reply briefs[,] are not disputed by the respondent;
10. when the findings of fact are premised on the supposed absence of
evidence and contradicted by the evidence on record; [and]
11. when the Court of Appeals manifestly overlooked certain relevant facts
not disputed by the parties, which, if properly considered, would justify
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