Leonel Quiroz — ADJ11104322, ADJ15506434

Applicant Leonel Quiroz, a correctional officer, sustained a specific injury on October 27, 2017 when assaulted by inmates (ADJ11104322) and a cumulative trauma injury ending the same date (ADJ15506434), both contributing to presumptive heart conditions. The WCJ found hypertensive heart disease with diastolic dysfunction was caused by both injuries and constituted presumptive 'heart trouble' under Labor Code sections 3212.2 and 3212.10, applying section 4663(e) to prohibit apportionment and issuing a joint award of 75% permanent disability. Defendant sought reconsideration arguing the heart disabilities were solely attributable to the cumulative injury and should be rated separately. The Board denied reconsideration, holding that where two presumptive injuries contribute to permanent disability, a joint award is appropriate even when non-presumptive body parts are involved, because the conditions were inextricably intertwined. The PQME, Dr. Grodan, established that the specific injury's contribution to hypertension could not be parsed out from the cumulative trauma.