Socorro Gonzales — ADJ9606449, ADJ8903066, ADJ9552074, ADJ955204

Applicant Socorro Gonzales, an account clerk for the Lake Elsinore Unified School District, sustained three industrial injuries (one cumulative trauma and two specific) with overlapping body parts. The WCJ awarded permanent total disability on a joint and several basis, finding the disability inextricably intertwined and not apportionable between the three injuries. Defendant sought reconsideration, arguing the PQME's reporting did not constitute substantial medical evidence on apportionment. The Board denied reconsideration, holding that orthopedic PQME Dr. Schwarz provided substantial medical evidence by explaining the close temporal proximity, overlapping body parts, and inability to parcel out causation with reasonable medical probability, and that defendant failed to meet its burden of proving apportionment under Labor Code section 4663, Escobedo, and Benson.