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 Confirms Recurrence of PTSD as Compensable
Our client, a former paramedic with a compensable diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), experienced a relapse of psychological symptoms during pregnancy and following her child’s premature birth. Despite strong medical opinions linking the recurrence to her original work-related trauma, the WCB denied responsibility, attributing the relapse to unrelated personal circumstances.
We appealed the denial, submitting evidence from the client’s treating psychologist and psychiatrist, both of whom confirmed the relapse was a direct reactivation of her previously stabilized, compensable PTSD. The Appeals Commission agreed, finding that the client’s symptoms met all criteria under WCB Policy 04-03 for a recurrence: same medical condition, prior resolution, no intervening cause, and direct linkage to the original workplace trauma.
This decision (No. 2024-0330) underscores the importance of distinguishing between triggering events and causative events in psychological injury cases. The Commission determined that the pregnancy and NICU experience were not independently capable of causing PTSD and that the original compensable incidents remained the dominant cause.