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Access over workers' compensation decisions, including En Banc, Significant Panel Decisions, and writ-denied cases.

Case No. ADJ7673518, ADJ7647749
Regular
Jan 23, 2015

ANA DE AYALA vs. AO-THE UNIVERSITY CORPORATION / CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board granted reconsideration and reversed a prior ruling, finding the applicant sustained industrial injury to her neck. While the applicant testified to injuring her neck in a workplace incident and this was partially corroborated, the Board found insufficient evidence for other claimed injuries. The Board specifically disagreed with the administrative law judge's credibility assessment concerning the neck injury itself, relying on medical reports and testimony supporting the neck injury claim. The Board affirmed the denial of claims for all other alleged injuries, finding insufficient medical evidence to link them to the incident.

Petition for ReconsiderationFindings and OrderIndustrial InjuryNeck InjuryBack InjurySpine InjuryUpper ExtremitiesPsycheGastroesophageal SystemInternal System
References
Case No. ADJ8026817
Regular
Apr 22, 2013

MARIA OCHOA vs. RANGERS DIE CASTING COMPANY, COMPWEST INSURANCE COMPANY

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) granted reconsideration of a decision finding the applicant sustained injury to her respiratory system and psyche AOE/COE. The WCAB rescinded the decision and returned the case to the trial level, finding the medical opinions of Dr. Lipper and Dr. Curtis lacked substantiality. Specifically, the physicians failed to provide clear diagnoses, quantify exposures, or adequately explain causation. The Board noted contradictory testimony from the applicant's supervisor and insufficient evidence to support the initial findings.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardMaria OchoaRangers Die Casting CompanyCOMPWEST INSURANCE COMPANYADJ8026817Los Angeles District OfficeOpinion and Order Granting ReconsiderationDecision After ReconsiderationFindings of FactWorkers' Compensation Administrative Law Judge (WCJ)
References
Case No. ADJ14244909
Regular
Apr 25, 2025

YONGQUAN HU vs. AMERICAN ALLIANCE LOGISTICS, INC., LIANG YE, UNINSURED EMPLOYERS BENEFITS TRUST FUND

Applicant Yongquan Hu and defendant Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust Fund (UEBTF) both petitioned for reconsideration of an Amended Findings and Award. The WCJ's initial decision found an industrial injury resulting in permanent total disability and calculated average weekly earnings based on multiple employers. Applicant disputed the wage calculation method, while UEBTF identified an inadvertently omitted week of wages. The Appeals Board granted both petitions, adopting the WCJ's report and amending the decision to reflect corrected average weekly earnings of $1,462.15, leading to a temporary and permanent total disability rate of $974.77 per week.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardYongquan HuAmerican Alliance LogisticsInc.Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust FundAdjudication NumberVan Nuys District OfficeOpinion and OrderGranting Petitions for ReconsiderationDecision After Reconsideration
References
Case No. ADJ6473555, ADJ7393801
Regular
Sep 18, 2014

Frank Jones (Deceased), Araceli Jones, Mya Jaedyn Jones vs. CDCR KERN VALLEY STATE PRISON, State Compensation Insurance Fund

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board affirmed a previous award for death benefits to the minor daughter of deceased correctional officer Frank Jones. The WCJ found that the daughter, Mya Jones, was entitled to the special minor's death benefit due to "good cause," as her mother is now a sole provider facing significant financial hardship after the decedent's death. The Board agreed, citing compelling evidence of the mother's financial strain and the minor's ongoing needs. This decision overrides the defendant's contentions that the award was improper and denies credit for prior permanent disability advances.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardCalPERSspecial death benefitminor dependentGuardian Ad LitemLabor Code section 4704good causeaverage weekly earningstemporary total disabilitypermanent disability indemnity
References
Case No. ADJ7166686
Regular
Jul 24, 2012

RICHARD ANDERSON vs. JAGUAR/LANDROVER OF VENTURA, COMPWEST INSURANCE COMPANY

This case involves an applicant who suffered a stroke and subsequent 100% permanent disability following surgery for an industrial shoulder injury. The defendant sought reconsideration, arguing for apportionment to pre-existing conditions and challenging the attorney's fee calculation. The Appeals Board affirmed the 100% permanent disability finding, finding no basis for apportionment as the applicant's pre-existing conditions did not cause the disability itself. However, the Board modified the attorney's fee award, requiring commutation using a specific method and a 3% cost of living adjustment, finding the previously assumed 4.6% to be speculative.

Workers Compensation Appeals BoardRichard AndersonJaguar/Landrover of VenturaCompwest Insurance CompanyADJ7166686ReconsiderationFindings and AwardIndustrial InjuryBrain InjuryNeurological System
References
Case No. SAC 0191116 SAC 0191126
Regular
Feb 19, 2008

WILLIAM VILLEMAIRE, Deceased, ROBERTA VILLAMAIRE, Widow, Individually and as Guardian ad Litem and Trustee for TIFFANY A. VILLAMAIRE (minor), WILLIAM A. VILLAMAIRE and TRACY A. VILLAMAIRE vs. CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY; TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY, et. al.

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board remanded the case for further proceedings to determine the decedent's average weekly earnings capacity, considering union contract wage increases foreseeable at the time of injury, to establish the proper death benefit rate for minor children. The Board clarified that accrued death benefits owed to a deceased dependent are payable to surviving dependents, not their estate. The original award was rescinded, returning the matter to the trial level for a new decision consistent with the opinion.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardDeceased EmployeeSurviving WidowGuardian ad LitemTrusteeSurvivor BenefitsCampbell Soup CompanyTravelers Insurance CompanyOpinion and Decision After ReconsiderationAverage Weekly Earnings
References
Case No. ADJ1298520
Regular
Dec 24, 2010

CLUSEGUN AFOLAYAN (DECEASED), OLUWASEUN AFOLAYAN, et al vs. STATE OF CALIFORNIA CDCR, CALIFORNIA REHABILITATION CENTER, Legally Uninsured, SCIF/STATE CONTRACTS

In this workers' compensation case, the Appeals Board reconsidered a WCJ's award of dependency benefits to three adult children of a deceased worker. The WCJ had awarded $192,000 total, based on the children being total dependents despite the widow electing CalPERS benefits which typically bar other death benefits. The Board agreed that the adult children are entitled to benefits under Labor Code section 4702, as the widow's CalPERS election does not necessarily exclude other dependents with good cause. However, the Board disagreed with the WCJ's calculation method and remanded the case for a new decision, directing the adult children to divide the difference between the maximum benefit for a widow with dependents and the benefit for a widow without dependents.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardDependency benefitsLabor Code Section 4702Adult childrenDeath benefitsLabor Code Section 4707CalPERS special death benefitGood causeTotal dependentsWidow's benefits
References
Case No. ADJ9091836
Regular
May 09, 2018

CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS (Deceased), AMY DOUGLAS (Surviving Spouse Guardian Ad Litem) vs. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM, STATE COMPENSATION INSURANCE FUND (Claims Administrator)

This case involves a dispute over workers' compensation death benefits for the dependents of a deceased CalFIRE engineer/paramedic. The appeals board is reconsidering a prior decision that awarded benefits but ordered coordination with CalPERS special death benefits. The central issue is whether workers' compensation death benefits should be awarded to the decedent's children, considering they already receive CalPERS benefits, and how to properly coordinate these two types of benefits. The Board rescinded the prior decision and returned the case for further proceedings, emphasizing the need for proper joinder of CalPERS and a careful consideration of coordination rules.

WCABCalFIRESCIFCalPERSDeath BenefitsSpecial Death BenefitAntrimThompsonCoordination of BenefitsGuardian Ad Litem
References
Case No. ADJ9409541
Regular
Aug 23, 2019

LUIS MEDINA BERNAL (Deceased), PATRICIA SOLANO VASQUEZ, MISAEL MEDINA SOLANO, LUCIA MEDINA SOLANO, XIMENA MEDINA SOLANO, I SAI MEDINA SOLANO, LUIS EMANUEL MEDINA SOLANO vs. REBECCA BAUTISTA dba REMAC TIRE SERVICES, UNINSURED EMPLOYERS BENEFITS TRUST FUND

This case involves a fatal industrial injury to Luis Medina Bernal, a tire changer. The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) granted reconsideration to clarify death benefit payment terms. While the WCJ correctly found petitioning applicants failed to prove partial dependency, the WCAB amended the decision. The death benefit for the widow, Patricia Solano Vasquez, is to be paid bi-weekly at $297.29 until the $250,000 total is exhausted. The attorney's fee was recalculated to $34,042.54, representing 15% of the death benefit's present value.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardPetition for ReconsiderationDecision After ReconsiderationFatal Industrial InjuryPartial DependencyCredibility DeterminationsNet Financial BenefitDeath BenefitPresent ValueAttorney's Fee
References
Case No. ADJ6871855
Regular
May 17, 2010

ANAMARIA VITAL (Deceased) JAVIER VITAL, SR. vs. GOLDEN STATE FOODS, LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY

This case concerns the calculation of the average weekly wage for death benefits following the industrial death of Anamaria Vital. The applicant, Javier Vital Sr., contended the WCJ erred by calculating the wage based on a 52-week period instead of the decedent's earnings at the time of death, which included recent pay increases. The Appeals Board granted reconsideration, rescinded the WCJ's decision, and found the decedent's average weekly wage to be $1,912.04. This revised calculation entitles the applicant to the maximum rate for death benefits.

Anamaria VitalJavier Vital Sr.Golden State FoodsLiberty Mutual Insurance CompanyADJ6871855Petition for ReconsiderationInterim Findings and Awardmachine operatorindustrial injurydeath benefit
References
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