Opinion ID: 1548358
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether Payne Sustained a Compensable Injury

Text: In the District of Columbia, there is a statutory presumption that a claim for injuries suffered by a worker on the job comes within the provisions of the [Workers' Compensation] Act, absent evidence to the contrary. Murray v. District of Columbia Dep't of Employment Servs., 765 A.2d 980, 983 (D.C.2001); see D.C.Code § 32-1521(1) (2001). To take advantage of the presumption of compensability, a claimant must make an initial showing that he or she sustained injuries and a work-related event that has the potential of contributing to the injuries. . . . Once this minimal initial showing is made, the presumption establishes a causal connection between the claimant's injury and the work-related event. . . . Jackson v. District of Columbia Dep't of Employment Servs., 955 A.2d 728, 732 (D.C.2008) (internal citation omitted). If the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to the employer to bring forth substantial evidence showing that the . . . disability did not arise out of and in the course of employment. McCamey v. District of Columbia Dep't of Employment Servs., 947 A.2d 1191, 1199 (D.C.2008) (en banc) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). To rebut the presumption, the employer's evidence must be specific and comprehensive enough to sever the potential connection between the disability and the work-related event. Washington Metro. Area Transit Auth. v. District of Columbia Dep't of Employment Servs., 827 A.2d 35, 42 (D.C.2003) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). In this case, employer WMATA does not dispute that Payne's evidence was sufficient to trigger the presumption of compensability, but it contends that it offered substantial evidence that was sufficient to rebut the presumption of a causal connection between Payne's August 29, 2006 asthma attack and the failure of the Farragut West HVAC system to work properly on that day. We are satisfied that substantial evidence supports the Board's decision to uphold the ALJ's finding that WMATA failed to rebut the presumption that Payne was rendered disabled by a workplace event. The record evidence that was before the ALJ included opinions from both Payne's treating physician, Dr. Armstrong, and the IME, Dr. Scott, that Payne suffered from asthma and that he should avoid extremely hot and humid conditions. Dr. Scott opined that most people who are asthmatic tend to find . . . they have more difficulty when the air is hot and humid. Though stating that Payne's asthma is without a clear etiology, Dr. Scott agreed that his asthma symptoms are exacerbated by hot, humid conditions. Further, it was uncontradicted that the Farragut West HVAC system malfunctioned on August 29, 2006, the day Payne reported feeling dizzy, faint, very weak, and had difficulty breathing. As the ALJ noted, a WMATA station manager's log for August 2731, 2006, contained entries indicating that the platform chiller at Farragut West was not working as well and that the station mezzanine area was very hot. WMATA attempted to show that the temperatures inside the Farragut West station were not extreme enough to have exacerbated Payne's asthma by pointing to station temperature logs that showed temperatures at or below 86 degrees Fahrenheit on dates in August 2006, [3] and also showed, for the same dates, that temperatures inside the station consistently were lower than outside temperatures, sometimes by as much as 10 to 15 degrees. However, WMATA's logs contained no temperature reading for August 29, 2006, the day Payne became ill. In addition, as the ALJ observed, the temperature log readings were for various air conditioner units and thus did not purport to show what temperatures were at all places within the station. In light of all the foregoing, the ALJ could reasonably find that WMATA's evidence was not sufficiently comprehensive and specific to rebut the presumption that excessive heat at the Farragut West station on August 29, 2006, exacerbated the symptoms of Payne's asthma and rendered him temporarily disabled. Accordingly, the Board did not err in upholding the ALJ's determination. [4]