NANCY MCLEARY vs. SATURN OF THOUSAND OAKS, DCH MANAGEMENT, ZURICH NORTH AMERICA

This case concerns an applicant seeking workers' compensation for an industrial injury to her back and neck, which exacerbated her need for refills of an intrathecal opiate pump. The defendant argued the pump refills were not industrial in origin, but the Board affirmed the original award, applying the principle that if an industrial injury contributes to the need for medical treatment, the employer is responsible for the entire cost. The Board granted reconsideration solely to defer the issue of the applicant's attorney's fees pending a Supreme Court decision on a related matter.