Brown, Hayden

Hayden Brown, an employee of Enki Medical Services, allegedly sustained an industrial injury to her circulatory system and other body systems resulting in her death. On February 5, 2024, a WCJ found the injury arose out of and in the course of employment. Defendants petitioned for reconsideration, arguing the finding misapplied the death inference, relied on distinguishable precedent (Clemmens) and hearsay, and that the heart failure was idiopathic rather than industrial. The Board granted reconsideration to study the issues, then directed the parties to a settlement conference, after which they filed a Compromise and Release on August 14, 2024. To expedite review of the C&R, the Board rescinded the February 5, 2024 Findings of Fact and returned the matter to the trial level so the WCJ could consider the C&R, expressly noting the decision was not a ruling on the merits.