Coleby Quartemont — ADJ13508500

Applicant Coleby Quartemont, a maintenance mechanic for the City of Vacaville, suffered a psychiatric injury on December 12, 2019, after striking a power line while jackhammering and becoming frightened. The PQME, Dr. Mark Kimmel, found an adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood with PTSD elements, using the ICD-10 and finding the industrial event the predominant cause. Defendant denied the claim and continued to deny after the report, arguing the PQME report was not substantial evidence because the doctor did not review all childhood treatment records and did not use DSM terminology. The WCJ found injury AOE/COE, and the WCAB denied reconsideration, holding defendant failed its regulatory duty to conduct a reasonable, good-faith investigation and could not unilaterally reject an unambiguous medical opinion without seeking to clarify it.