Varvais, Hanadi

Applicant Hanadi Varvais, a registered nurse, claimed a cumulative back injury during her employment with UCI Medical Center (September 30, 2001 through January 25, 2019). The WCJ found applicant failed to prove industrial injury AOE/COE and ordered her to take nothing. Applicant sought reconsideration arguing the Opinion on Decision was skeletal, lacked analysis, and that the QME's opinions rested on factual errors and were not substantial medical evidence. The Appeals Board granted reconsideration, finding the F&O violated Labor Code section 5313 by failing to make findings on all issues (it omitted the statute of limitations defense) and failing to state reasons or summarize the evidence relied upon. The Board further concluded that neither the QME (Dr. Ahearn) nor the PTP (Dr. Lavi) reporting constituted substantial medical evidence, that no section 5412 date of injury was determined, and remanded for development of the medical record, suggesting an AME or replacement QME.