Commonwealth Court reverses Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board holding that Claimant’s disability began on first day off work

In Albert Einstein Healthcare v. WCAB (Stanford) the WCJ awarded benefits based on the testimony of the Claimant’s doctor that the Claimant was disabled while under his treatment. However, the Claimant did not start treating with the doctor until over a year after her last date of work. The WCJ decided benefits could only be awarded beginning with the doctor’s first evaluation.

The Board modified the WCJ’s decision and awarded benefits as of the first day off work based on the Claimant’s testimony. The Court reversed, holding where the causal connection between the work injury and disability is not obvious, medical testimony establishing the period of disability is required.