Cabral, Christina

Christina Cabral, a 50-year-old bill collector for permissibly self-insured Southern California Edison, claimed a 17-year cumulative trauma injury (June 1, 2003 through September 17, 2020) to multiple body parts. The WCJ found a compensable CT injury to her cervical spine and right wrist based on the orthopedic PQME's opinion, found no industrial injury to the thoracic spine and right upper extremity, and ordered further development of the record for the right shoulder, left wrist, gastrointestinal system, respiratory system, sleep, and headaches. Defendant sought reconsideration, arguing the applicant was not credible (due to numerous nonindustrial injuries and inconsistent histories) and that no further development was warranted. The WCAB denied reconsideration, adopting and incorporating the WCJ's report, giving great weight to the WCJ's credibility findings under Garza. The Board concluded the PQME had a full and accurate history (including the September 18, 2020 nonindustrial MVA) and that defendant failed to pursue the additional testing the PQME identified, instead filing a DOR for trial.