Roberts, Lewis

Lewis Roberts, a chief investigator for the County of Inyo, died by suicide on September 21, 2016, following an internal affairs investigation and proposed termination. His widow, Kristina Roberts, filed two claims: an industrial psychiatric injury claim under Labor Code section 3208.3 and a claim for special death benefits from CalPERS under Government Code section 21166. The WCJ denied both claims, finding the AME (Dr. Katalin Bassett) failed to provide any psychiatric diagnosis and that decedent's death was non-industrial because it was motivated by monetary concerns for his family. On reconsideration, the WCAB found Dr. Bassett's reporting was incomplete and did not constitute substantial medical evidence, particularly because she failed to issue a psychiatric diagnosis and only provided a two-page chronology despite nearly 700 pages of records. The Board granted reconsideration, rescinded the F&O, and remanded for development of the record.