Amaya Cano, Walter

Decedent Walter Amaya Cano died from an industrial injury sustained June 30, 2006. The WCJ found industrial causation (rejecting an intoxication defense), found dual employment with joint and several liability between Bella Toluca/Nile Niami and Apex Design Builders, and awarded the full $320,000 death benefit divided equally among three total dependents (decedent's brother, sister, and mother), plus a special death benefit, attorney fees, and burial expenses. SCIF petitioned for reconsideration, challenging industrial causation, the dependency findings, the brother's eligibility for the conclusive dependency presumption under section 3501(a) and the continuing payment under section 4703.5(a), and the absence of any finding regarding decedent's named applicant/wife Veronica Chavarria. The Board granted reconsideration based on a preliminary review revealing serious record gaps, including missing documentation about Chavarria's status, an unresolved potential attorney conflict of interest in representing multiple dependents, and questionable proof of total dependency. The Board deferred a final decision and ordered the matter set for a status conference before a WCJ to develop the record.