Jason Gothard — ADJ11946779, ADJ10788304

Applicant Jason Gothard, a Sonoma County jail deputy, filed (via the unrepresented-employee defendant) a claim for a specific psychiatric injury arising from a February 6, 2017 meeting with two sergeants, and later asserted a cumulative trauma psychiatric injury through the same date. The WCJ found two separate injuries, barring the specific injury under the good-faith personnel action defense and the cumulative trauma claim under the statute of limitations (Lab. Code, § 5405), and ordered applicant take nothing. On reconsideration, the WCAB found no substantial evidence supporting two distinct injuries; both Dr. Staehle and QME Dr. Mosby concurred there was a single cumulative trauma psychiatric injury, with the February 6, 2017 meeting being the 'final straw.' The Board held the Application should be amended to conform to proof as a cumulative trauma claim, which relates back to the timely original filing under Bassett-McGregor and is not barred by the statute of limitations. The Board rescinded the F&O and remanded for further proceedings, noting the artificially created second ADJ number should be dismissed as moot.