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ADJ18926429 — California WCAB decision · SimilarCase

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California WCABPanel decision

ADJ18926429 · April 27, 2026

Petition for Reconsideration is denied.

Issues decided: 1
Medical opinions weighed: 2
Authorities named: 1
District office: Santa Ana

What the panel ordered

Petition for Reconsideration is denied.

Defendant seeks reconsideration of the January 26, 2026 Findings of Fact and Order (F&O) by the WCJ, which found insufficient medical evidence on causation and ordered further development of the evidentiary record with supplemental QME reporting.

Read the official decision →

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.

AOE/COEDefendant prevailedbilateral wrists · bilateral hands · back · knees · arms · shoulders

The WCJ found insufficient substantial medical evidence on causation and ordered further development of the record with supplemental QME reporting; the Appeals Board upheld this and denied reconsideration.

From the decision · page 2Applicant claimed injury to her bilateral wrists, bilateral hands, back, knees, arms, and shoulders, while employed as a customer service representative/billing representative by defendant TalentBurst, Inc. from June 6, 2022 to December 26, 2023. Defendant denies injury AOE/COE.

The facts that decided it

What the panel treated as outcome-determinative, and which side it favoured.

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Dr. Donald Kim personally reviewed the medical records, interviewed the applicant, and performed the physical examination, ensuring the accuracy of his reports.

Favours Applicant prevailed

This supported the WCJ's finding of no ghostwriting and justified ordering supplemental reporting rather than excluding the QME reports.

The medical reports submitted by the parties were found inaccurate, inconsistent, or incomplete on causation, requiring further evidentiary development.

Favours neutral

This led to the WCJ ordering supplemental QME reporting to address causation and clerical errors.

From the decision · page 1Defendant seeks reconsideration of the January 26, 2026 Findings of Fact and Order (F&O), wherein the workers' compensation administrative law judge (WCJ) found that applicant was employed as a customer service representative/billing representative from June 6, 2022, through December 26, 2023 by defendant. The WCJ found, in relevant part, that there was no "ghostwriting" involved in the reporting of Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) Donald Kim, M.D., but that the medical opinions submitted by the parties were inaccurate, inconsistent and/or incomplete on the issue of causation of applicant's alleged injuries. The WCJ determined that because there was insufficient evidence in the record upon which to base a determination, the evidentiary record required development. The WCJ ordered the parties to submit additional trial records to the QME and to obtain supplemental reporting correcting all clerical errors and addressing the issue of causation.

The reports of PTP Dr. Furman were excluded due to non-compliance with procedural rules and section 4628.

Favours Defendant prevailed

This exclusion affected the evidentiary record and the determination of substantial medical evidence on causation.

From the decision · page 3The WCJ's Opinion on Decision explained that the reports of PTP Dr. Furman were signed by persons other than Dr. Furman, and that insofar as the reports lacked confirmation that the signatory to each report was the examining physician, the reports did not comply with Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) Rule 10682, subd. (b)(15) (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, § 10682(b)(15)) or with section 4628. Accordingly, the WCJ declined to admit the body of PTP reporting into evidence.