What the panel ordered
Defendant's petition for reconsideration denied; lien claimant's petition for reconsideration granted only to amend Findings of Fact to reflect failure to meet burden of proving injury AOE/COE; otherwise Findings and Award affirmed.
Petitions for reconsideration of the February 19, 2025 Findings and Award were filed by lien claimant Medland Medical Group and defendant, challenging findings on injury AOE/COE and reimbursement of medical-legal costs; the WCJ prepared a Report and Recommendation to deny both petitions; the WCAB issued a decision on May 19, 2025 affirming the Findings and Award except amending to find lien claimant did not meet burden of proving injury AOE/COE.
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 and WCAB found lien claimant failed to meet burden of proof for injury AOE/COE due to inconsistent medical history and prior injuries not disclosed to PTP.
From the decision · page 6To receive treatment charges this WCJ determined that Medland is faced with an initial burden of proving that the injured worker sustained injury arising out of and in the course of employment. As noted above, injury arising out of and in the course of employment has been denied. Medland did not provide a witness or applicant to testify at trial, and to establish industrial injury. Whereas Medland's examining physician Omid Haghighinia D.C. does report an injury in report of April 26, 2023, this WCJ takes note of further history of applicant denying prior or subsequent injuries or accidents off the job. Records/exhibits offered by defendant suggest otherwise. Records of Intercare Holdings (Defendant's Exhibit F) reflect injury to the back requiring treatment at US Healthworks dating back to 7/30/2012. Records of ACE Property and Casualty (Defendant's Exhibit G) reflect injury to back, arms and knees requiring treatment at Arrowhead Orthopedics back in May of 2017, and with diagnosis to include disc protrusion, fibromyalgia, and radiculopathy.