Hitchcock, Eddie Dale

Applicant Eddie Dale Hitchcock, a garbage truck driver, claimed a cumulative neck injury through June 18, 2024. The WCJ found injury AOE/COE and awarded temporary partial disability and temporary total disability continuing. Defendant petitioned for reconsideration, arguing the PQME's reports were not substantial evidence and that it was denied due process when discovery closed at the MSC after the application was amended from a specific injury to a cumulative trauma. The Board granted reconsideration, found the PQME's opinions constituted substantial evidence, rejected the due process claim because defendant had a meaningful opportunity to conduct discovery and waived objection by failing to object to admission of the reports at trial. The Board amended the award to limit temporary partial disability through April 6, 2025 (45 days after the last treatment report of February 20, 2025), finding no medical support for temporary total disability and deferring further temporary disability pending additional reporting.