Appeal victories
- Appeals Commission Overturns WCB Denial in Plantar Fasciitis Case
- Appeals Commission Overturns WCB Reduction of Benefits at Age 65
- Appeals Commission Reverses WCB Denial of Permanent Disability Benefits
- Appeals Commission Accepts PTSD-Related Hernia as Compensable Injury
- Appeals Commission Confirms Recurrence of PTSD as Compensable
- DRDRB Reverses WCB Decision, Restores Full ELP Benefits Beyond Age 65
- Employer’s Challenge Denied – DRDRB Upholds Acceptance of Low Back Injury Claim
- TTD Benefits Reinstated After Psychological Claim Review
- Summary
Appeals Commission Accepts PTSD-Related Hernia as Compensable Injury
In a significant ruling, the Appeals Commission found that our client’s right inguinal hernia was causally related to his compensable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and therefore falls under the Workers’ Compensation Board’s responsibility.
WCB had previously denied the hernia claim, asserting it was caused by a congenital defect. We appealed the denial, presenting evidence that the client experienced intense, recurring vomiting as a direct symptom of his PTSD—a condition already accepted as work-related. His surgeon confirmed that such vomiting can significantly raise intra-abdominal pressure, creating the conditions for a hernia to develop. The panel gave greater weight to the surgeon’s opinion over that of the WCB’s medical consultant, who had not examined the worker.
The Commission concluded that the vomiting—not a congenital defect—was the effective cause of the hernia, and allowed the appeal. This decision (No. 2024-0242, 2024 CanLII 47702 (AB WCAC)) confirms that secondary conditions arising from accepted compensable injuries are themselves compensable, even when the link is physiological and indirect.