Case Law Database

RONALD HODGES vs. CHEVRON OVERSEAS PETROLEUM, INC.

Here's a concise summary for a lawyer, under four sentences: The Appeals Board granted reconsideration, rescinded the original award, and remanded the case for further proceedings. The Board found that the Qualified Medical Examiner (QME) reports were not substantial evidence because neither physician personally examined the applicant, violating administrative rules. Therefore, the record needs further development, specifically a medical-legal evaluation by an infectious disease expert to determine if Reiter's Syndrome is a consequence of the admitted industrial injury (malaria). This is necessary before reconsidering findings on permanent disability.