6/5/2020 E-Library - Information At Your Fingertips: Printer Friendly days does not necessarily mean that a seafarer is entitled to full disability benefits because a seafarer's degree of disability is not measured by the length of time he is under treatment, but by the assessment of the company-designated physician, who, in this case, found Pastor's illness as not work-related. Pastor, therefore, is not entitled to disability compensation. Our Ruling The Petition lacks merit. Pastor suffers from a work-related and compensable illness. The Court notes that while petitioners impute error upon the CA in declaring Pastor's illness as osteoarthritis, it is extant on the records that they themselves, in the numerous pleadings they filed before the labor tribunals, consistently referred to his diagnosed ailment as osteoarthritis. It was only after the CA rendered its assailed Decision that petitioners contradicted this and now claim that Pastor's illness is actually spinal disc degeneration which, according to them, is a completely different illness from osteoarthritis. Suffice it to state, however, that petitioners cannot now take a contrary view as to Pastor's actual illness in view of their previous admission that he was suffering from osteoarthritis. It is settled that statements made in the pleadings in the course of judicial proceedings are considered judicial admissions.[30] Judicial admissions cannot be controverted by the party making the admissions.[31] They are conclusive and legally binding as against the pleader who cannot subsequently take a position contrary to or inconsistent with what was pleaded.[32] At any rate, in medical parlance, spinal disc degeneration/desiccation and osteoarthritis can be taken as the same. Degenerative disc disease is a spinal condition caused by the breakdown of the intervertebral discs which results in the loss of flexibility and ability to cushion the spine.[33] When discs degenerate, the vertebral bodies become closer together and this increased bone on bone friction causes the wearing away of protective cartilage and results in the condition known as osteoarthritis.[34] The degenerating discs place excessive stress on the joints of the spine and the supporting ligaments, which, overtime, can lead to the formation of osteoarthritis.[35] Osteoarthritis is a stage of degenerative disc disease.[36] Here, as revealed by Pastor's medical records, he was found suffering from acute thoracic and lumbar spondylosis before he was repatriated for medical reasons.[37] When he returned to the Philippines, he was then diagnosed with thoraco lumbar spine nerve infringement, R/O herniated disc on October 2, 2006 by Dr. Abesamis, the company-designated physician.[38] When made to undergo MRI of the thoraco lumbar area a few days later, the result thereof revealed that the said area has a slightly straightened lumbar lordosis. He was thus advised to undergo physiotherapy. On November 6, 2006, Dr. Abesamis found Pastor positive for carpal tunnel syndrome.[39] He was then subjected to further medical evaluation and treatment for the recurrent pain that he was experiencing.[40] Through all these, no medical assessment of his elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/60848 5/12