Yuri Markevitch — ADJ8906863

Applicant Yuri Markevitch traveled to China and the Philippines on his employer's business between 7/17/2012 and 8/4/2012 and contracted Legionnaire's disease (Legionella pneumonia) during the trip, likely at one of his hotels. The WCJ found the injury AOE/COE under the commercial traveler rule and awarded medical care, deferring other benefits. Defendant petitioned for reconsideration, arguing that infectious disease cases require a different, special version of the commercial traveler rule that applicant failed to meet. The WCAB denied reconsideration, adopting the WCJ's report, holding that because medical evidence established when and where applicant contracted the disease (during business travel), the injury arose out of and in the course of employment and there was no need to reach the special-risk/greater-than-general-public question.