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Case No. ADJ18001417

Regular

Sep 05, 2025

CHRISTOPHER CANDIA vs. CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) denied the defendant's Petition for Reconsideration in the case of Christopher Candia v. City and County of San Francisco. The Board adopted the Arbitrator's Report and Recommendation, which found applicant Christopher Candia's meningioma to be a compensable industrial injury. The decision was based on the cancer presumption under Labor Code section 3212.1 for firefighters, as the medical opinion of treating neurosurgeon Dr. Bruce McCormack classified the tumor as Grade II, indicating malignant features, and evidence showed Candia's exposure to carcinogens during his employment. The Board upheld the arbitrator's determination, giving greater weight to Dr. McCormack's opinion over the IME Dr. Raye Bellinger's.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardPetition for ReconsiderationArbitrator's ReportLabor Code Section 5909Electronic Adjudication Management Systemsubstantial evidenceneurosurgeontreating physicianIMEmeningioma

References

Case No. MISSING

Regular Panel Decision

Claim of Perry v. Georgia Pacific Corp.

Claimant, a machine operator, sustained a head injury at work on July 5, 1988. Two months later, he developed swelling and was subsequently diagnosed with a benign meningioma tumor, which was surgically removed on April 2, 1989. The Workers’ Compensation Board determined that the trauma aggravated a preexisting lesion, necessitating surgery and establishing a causally related disability, thereby reversing a Workers’ Compensation Law Judge's decision. The employer appealed this finding, contending a lack of substantial evidence. The Appellate Division affirmed the Board's decision, finding that the testimony of claimant's physician, George Boolukos, provided substantial evidence to support the causal relationship between the head trauma and the tumor, despite conflicting medical opinions from the employer's experts, Martin Flanagan and Fiaz Choudhri.

Head TraumaTumorMeningiomaCausationMedical Opinion ConflictSubstantial EvidenceAppellate ReviewWorkers' Compensation BoardAggravation of Preexisting ConditionSurgery

References

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CHRISTOPHER CANDIA vs. CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO

Claim of Perry v. Georgia Pacific Corp.

Head TraumaTumorMeningiomaCausationMedical Opinion ConflictSubstantial EvidenceAppellate ReviewWorkers' Compensation BoardAggravation of Preexisting ConditionSurgery