The role the physician served, and the weight the opinion carried. Physicians are named here as the decision names them; we do not score them.
PTPRelied upon · psychology
Diagnosed adjustment disorder and pain disorder; opined that the predominant cause of psychiatric condition was the industrial injury, meeting the predominance threshold, but did not opine direct causation by the event.
Causation opinion weighed on whether psyche PD was directly caused by the event or a compensable consequence.
From the decision · page 2At this point, the predominance threshold of greater than 50% for current
psychiatric claims has been met. The predominant cause of all causes appears
to have been the applicant's industrial injury reaching and exceeding the
necessary predominance threshold.
PTPRelied upon · psychology
Diagnosed major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, simple phobia, PTSD, and insomnia; stated applicant met predominance threshold for stress claims, but did not discuss direct causation.
Causation opinion weighed on whether psyche PD was directly caused by the event or a compensable consequence.
From the decision · page 2Dr. Hirsch issued a permanent and stationary report dated September 28, 2019.
(Applicant's Exhibit No. 1, Seth Hirsch, Ph.D. report, September 28, 2019.) His Axis I diagnoses
remained the same as from his August 23, 2019 report. (Id. at p. 6.) Dr. Hirsch stated: "The
applicant has reached the necessary predominance threshold for current stress claims." (Id. at p.
5.) There is no other discussion about causation of injury in this report.
QMERelied upon · psychiatry
Diagnosed depressive disorder; opined that occupational physical injury with pain and disability was the predominant cause, supporting compensable consequence rather than direct causation.
Causation opinion weighed on whether psyche PD was directly caused by the event or a compensable consequence.
From the decision · page 2Richard Dorsey, M.D. evaluated applicant as the psychiatric qualified medical evaluator
(QME). Dr. Dorsey diagnosed applicant with a depressive disorder. (Joint Exhibit No. 4, PQME
report of Richard Dorsey, M.D., January 15, 2020, p. 16.) With respect to causation, Dr. Dorsey
opined: "Occupational physical injury with pain and disability is the predominant cause." (Id. at
p. 17.) He provided a GAF score of 58 and apportioned permanent disability as follows:
QMERelied upon · orthopedics
Found injury to right index and middle fingers, causing 4% WPI to right hand plus 3% WPI for pain, with no apportionment to other factors.
From the decision · page 3applicant sustained injury to his right index and middle fingers. (Joint Exhibit No. 2, PQME report
of Steven Brourman, M.D., November 27, 2018, p. 14.) This caused 4% whole person impairment
(WPI) to the right hand plus an additional 3% WPI for pain. (Id. at pp. 14-15.) There was no
apportionment of disability to other factors besides the June 1, 2017 event. (Id. at p. 17.)