They filled his role while he healed – what came next cost them
Coca-Cola Consolidated must pay a resulting award after offering an injured 30-year employee only lower-paying roles when he returned to work.
A Tennessee workers' compensation court ruled on March 30, 2026, that Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. owes employee Harlan Paul Matteson, Jr. a resulting award of $19,987.56 – a decision that underscores the financial consequences employers can face when return-to-work placements fall short.
Matteson hurt his right shoulder on the job. Coca-Cola accepted the claim, and he received authorized medical treatment from Dr. David Hovis, who assigned a 6% rating and cleared him for full duty on May 23, 2024. So far, a textbook workers' compensation case.
The problem started when Matteson came back. While he was out, Coca-Cola had filled his position. Rather than restoring him to an equivalent role, the company gave him two options – both paying less than what he earned before the injury. He took one of them.
Under Tennessee law, when an employee returns to work earning less than pre-injury pay, that employee can petition for increased benefits. The statute allows the original award to be multiplied by 1.35, with an additional 1.2 multiplier for workers over 40. Matteson is 50.
Coca-Cola pushed back, arguing that these increased benefits are not automatic. The company pointed to the statutory language "if appropriate" and contended that Matteson's pay cut had nothing to do with...
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