Source: https://www.sullivanoncomp.com/blog/topic/case-law-updates/page/2
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 08:30:38+00:00

Document:
In McIntosh v. Military Department of the State of California, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 371, the WCAB held that it did not have jurisdiction over an applicant's claim for a latent injury to her psyche arising out of a sexual assault that occurred while training with the California Army National Guard.
In Bellissimo v. Cast & Crew Entertainment Services, Inc., 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 333, the WCAB upheld an arbitrator's decision that liability under LC 5500.5 should be apportioned pro rata between the two employers based on the days worked for each employer during the liability period.
In Illinois Midwest Insurance Agency, LLC v. WCAB (Casarotti), 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. LEXIS 83 (writ denied), the WCAB held that an applicant sustained a compensable injury when she fell from a bar stool and struck her head on the floor at work as a result of a nonindustrial alcohol withdrawal seizure.
In Albano v. Cal Amp Corp., 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 356, the WCAB held that the claim of three dependent children for death benefits was not barred by the statute of limitations under LC 5406, even though it was filed more than a year after the decedent employee's death.
It explained that per Arndt v. WCAB (1976) 41 CCC 151 and Berkebile v. WCAB (1983) 48 CCC 438, it was incumbent on the defendant to produce evidence related to the date the dependents knew, or in the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have known that the cause of their mother's lung cancer and resulting death were industrially related.
In Morales v. Herrick Corp., 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 372, the WCAB held that a utilization review authorization for a single level epidural injection at C6-7 was not invalidated by a subsequent request and UR denial for a two-level epidural injection at the C5-C6 and C6-C7 levels.
In Moss v. State of California Department of Corrections, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 374, the WCAB held that LC 4610(g)(6),which generally provides that a utilization review decision remains in effect for 12 months unless there is a change in the applicant's condition, was inapplicable when the UR decision was not issued in response to a valid RFA or alternative form that could be accepted by the defendant under CCR 9792.9.1(c)(2)(B).
In Jimenez v. Rose Hill Co., 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 342, the WCAB concluded that a defendant's utilization review determination denying authorization for knee surgery was timely, and rejected the applicant's claim that the defendant's service of the UR determination was defective.
In Pribyl v. Acosta Sales and Marketing, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 350, the WCAB found that an applicant was not permanent and stationary and was entitled to temporary disability benefits when all of the doctors reported she could not return to work until diagnostic testing was completed, even though the tests were timely denied by utilization review and independent medical review.
In Hill v. State of California Department of Transportation, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 340, the WCAB granted removal of a WCJ's decision to deny a defendant's petition to compel disclosure because the defendant sought a disclosure carefully modeled on the language of LC 4663(d).
In Jackson v. California Prison Industry Authority, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 368, the WCAB held that a former state prison inmate was entitled to the voucher when the state of California could not make a bona fide offer of work because the applicant had been released from prison.
In Vasquez v. SNCH, Inc., 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 354, the WCAB held that a QME did not violate LC 139.3 and CCR 41.5 when he referred the applicant to his wife for EMG testing within his own office. It found that the QME disclosed this fact in his report and the EMG services were billed as part of the QME evaluation costs.
In Villanueva v. El Rosal Restaurant, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 379, the WCAB rescinded a WCJ's order for a defendant to reissue a $20,000.50 settlement check to the applicant, who claimed that her check was fraudulently cashed by someone else.
In Lin v. Automobile Club of Southern California, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 346, the WCAB concluded that a WCJ acted properly when he ordered discovery for the limited purpose of assessing the applicant's alleged unavailability to testify at trial after the start of trial.
In Abea v. Parco, Inc., 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 302, the WCAB granted removal of a WCJ's order setting the matter for trial, even though the defendant objected on the grounds it had not completed discovery. The WCJ believed the case was ripe for trial because the "defendant has already denied the case without need for the discovery at issue."
In Marroquin v. WCAB, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. LEXIS 65 (writ denied), the WCAB found that an applicant's back injury was barred by LC 3600(a)(10), even though it believed he sustained injury AOE/COE.
In Miller v. O'Reilly Auto Parts, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 319, the WCAB affirmed a WCJ's decision that an applicant's devastating injury while traveling to work was compensable under the special mission exception to the going and coming rule.
Section 7.36 Utilization Review –– Procedures. The discussion concerns the procedures to be used when referring a request for medical treatment through the utilization review process.
In Sephers v. Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 297, the WCAB held that a defendant's utilization review decision was untimely when the UR provider notified the requesting physician that additional information was needed, but on the same day, the UR physician prepared a UR denial stating that the medical records received were sufficient to make a medical determination and no additional medical information was necessary.
In Maxton v. Lefiell Manufacturing, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 316, the WCAB upheld a WCJ's decision that a defendant was liable for a handicap-adapted vehicle to assist an applicant in his use of a motorized scooter, and that the issue was not subject to the UR/IMR process.
In Mancillas v. County of Los Angeles, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 293, the WCAB affirmed a WCJ's finding that she was empowered to adjudicate the liens of Dr. Sobol because no order of consolidation had issued per LC 139.21.
In Lugo v. County of Los Angeles, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 306, the WCAB upheld an award that relied on the opinion of Dr. Sobol even though he was suspended from the workers' compensation system based on a fraud conviction pursuant to LC 139.21.
In Pike v. County of San Diego, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 321, the panel majority held that when acting on a timely petition to reopen, the WCAB may award temporary disability benefits more than five years from the date of injury for injuries on or after Jan. 1, 2008, provided that the applicant is limited to an aggregate of 104 weeks of benefits.
In Guerrero v. Ramcast Steel Fabrication, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 285, the WCAB held that an applicant was entitled to psychiatric permanent disability as a result of the violent act and catastrophic injury exceptions defined in LC 4660.1(c)(2).
In Lopez v. General Wax Co., Inc., 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 291, the WCAB upheld an award of 100 percent permanent total disability when the applicant was injured when her index finger became stuck in a machine and was partially amputated.
In Baker v. WCAB (Guerrero) (2017) 13 Cal. App. 5th 1040, the 6th District Court of Appeal held that the SIBTF must begin payment of benefits at the time the employer's obligation to pay permanent disability benefits begins.
In Sesena v. Residence Inn By Marriott, LLC, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 320, the WCAB reversed a WCJ and held that an employee may be awarded separate vouchers for separate injuries even though they became permanent and stationary at the same time.
In Espinoza v. Avis Rent A Car, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 309, the WCAB upheld a WCJ's decision that an employer did not violate LC 132a when it terminated an employee pursuant to a compromise and release agreement with a voluntary resignation approved eight years earlier.
In Vargas, Gonzalez v. Barrett Business Services, Inc., 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 317, the WCAB concluded that an applicant was entitled to additional QME panels in gastroenterology and otorhinolaryngology when the additional panels were requested by the original QME and the primary treating physician.
In Staudt v. University of California Los Angeles, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 324, the WCAB rescinded a WCJ's order dismissing an applicant's case after she did not personally appear at a mandatory settlement conference.
In Thompkins v. Citizens Telecom, 2017 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 300, the WCAB granted an applicant attorney's petition for dismissal as the attorney of record after he had secured two awards of compensation, including for future medical treatment.

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