CASSANDRA WASHINGTON vs. COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, TRISTAR RISK MANAGEMENT

Applicant Cassandra Washington sought reconsideration of a January 25, 2021 Findings, Award & Order (F&A) from a Workers' Compensation administrative law judge (WCJ) concerning multiple industrial injury claims against the County of Los Angeles. Key contentions included the improper exclusion of Dr. Miller's pain management report and the need for further development of the record regarding psychiatric injury, industrially related hypertension, sleep dysfunction, and temporary total disability. The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) agreed with the WCJ's subsequent Report, finding Dr. Miller's report admissible under Labor Code section 4060 for compensability disputes and that the record required further development for psychiatric injury due to insufficient medical evidence. Consequently, the WCAB rescinded the F&A and returned the matter to the trial level for additional proceedings consistent with this opinion.