What the panel ordered
Petition for Reconsideration granted; final decision deferred pending further review of merits and entire record.
Defendant sought reconsideration of the January 28, 2025 Findings and Award by the WCJ, which found injury and 43% permanent disability without apportionment. The WCAB granted the Petition for Reconsideration and deferred final decision pending further review.
What was disputed, and how it came out
Each issue the panel decided, with the reasoning it gave. An outcome is what this panel did on this record — not a rule, and not a prediction.
The WCJ found no apportionment due to lack of substantial medical evidence from Dr. Ward, whose apportionment opinion was inadequately explained and unsupported by medical rationale. The Appeals Board granted reconsideration to further review this issue.
From the decision · page 1Defendant seeks reconsideration of the January 28, 2025 Findings and Award issued by the workers' compensation administrative law judge (WCJ). Therein, the WCJ found that applicant sustained injury arising out of and in the course of employment to the right ear, and claims to have sustained injury arising out of and in the course of employment to the left ear, while employed on June 21, 2019, as a panel installer. The WCJ further found that the injury herein caused 43% permanent disability without apportionment.