Opinion ID: 1998760
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: the decisions of the alj and the crb

Text: In his order of February 26, 2008, the ALJ held that Ms. Changkit was no longer entitled to disability benefits. The ALJ noted that [g]enerally, greater weight is accorded to the treating physician's opinion, but he concluded that the general rule did not apply in this case. Noting that Ms. Changkit was relying on reports by Dr. Glor, who had treated Ms. Changkit from 1990 to 1994, and by Dr. Mills, who had last treated Ms. Changkit in April 1999, [3] the ALJ rejected the views of these physicians as stale. According to the ALJ, [t]he evidence Claimant relies upon is deemed too remote in time to give due consideration as to whether her condition has changed. Remarkably, the ALJ then rejected the opinion of Dr. Noel, who had examined Ms. Changkit numerous times over the period from 2004 to 2007: Little weight was accorded to the opinion of Dr. Noel that claimant's current complaints are related to the work injury because Dr. Noel expressly states that his opinion was based on a review of the reports from Drs. Mills and Glor which have been rejected as stale. Summarizing his legal analysis, and referring to Dr. Levitt's IME, the ALJ wrote that the forgoing [sic] is sufficient to meet the Employer's initial burden, and that [n]ow claimant has the burden of production [4] to rebut employers [sic] evidence. Because he regarded the evidence presented by Ms. Changkit as either stale or based on stale evidence, the ALJ concluded that Ms. Changkit had not carried that burden. Ms. Changkit then appealed to the Compensation Review Board [5] and on May 26, 2008, the Board affirmed the ALJ's decision. The Board wrote, in pertinent part, that [t]he record fully supports the ALJ's thorough, well reasoned decision, and the Panel, therefore, adopts the reasoning and legal analysis expressed by the ALJ in that decision in affirming the Compensation Order in all respects. Ms. Changkit filed a timely petition for review by this court.