Lopez, Domonique

Applicant Domonique Lopez sustained an industrial injury as a deli clerk, and defendant Albertsons (self-insured, administered by Sedgwick) denied the claim. Applicant's primary treating physician, Dr. Haghighinia, prepared a report stating it was a medical-legal report performed to prove or disprove the contested claim and concluding the injury was industrial, while a panel QME also addressed causation. The WCJ found that only the PQME report was a proper medical-legal report on causation and that Dr. Haghighinia's report was merely an initial treatment evaluation, denying lien claimant Medland Medical's claim for medical-legal payment. The WCAB granted reconsideration, holding that a treating physician's report can be a compensable medical-legal evaluation under section 4060, rescinded the F&O, and remanded for the WCJ to determine whether the PTP report was reasonable and necessary.