Maria Romero — ADJ9458289

Applicant housekeeper Maria Romero claimed both a specific injury on November 3, 2013, and a cumulative injury, to multiple body parts including psyche. The WCJ found a compensable specific injury AOE/COE to the neck, right shoulder, and right upper extremity, rejected the post-termination defense, found no cumulative injury, and excluded defendant's personnel/disciplinary documents. Both parties sought reconsideration; applicant argued the record supported additional injuries (back, psyche, headaches), while defendant challenged the sufficiency of the medical evidence and alleged due process violations from being denied the right to re-cross applicant and from exclusion of its exhibits. The Board granted applicant's petition, affirming the specific injury finding but amending it to find no psychiatric injury AOE/COE and deferring the headache issue for further development of the record. The Board denied defendant's petition, upholding the WCJ's credibility determination and rejecting the due process claims. The matter was returned to the WCJ for further proceedings on the headache issue.