Ruling on cancer presumption under Labor Code section 3212.1 is upheld

• Posted By: Harvey Brown
• September 1, 2020

This is an order denying appellate review

This is a very significant case for workers’ compensation principles.

The applicant was employed as a probation officer. He was assigned to the
Narcotics Task Force under his employment for nearly two years. This was
through the State Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement. However, the County
where he was a probation officer paid his salary.

He was designated a Special Agent of the State and reported directly to the State. He had job duties that included incinerator operations and exposure to known carcinogens. The applicant later developed pancreatic cancer while employed by the County and filed a Workers’ Compensation claim asserting the cancer presumption of Labor Code section 3212.1.

The case went to trial and the Workers’ Compensation Judge (WCJ) found that there was substantial medical evidence supporting the applicant’s entitlement to the Labor Code section 3212.1 cancer presumption.
The applicant filed a petition for reconsideration and the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) in a Board panel decision agreed with the WCJ.

This resulted in the defendant filing for a Writ of Review with the appellate court. The appellate denied defendant’s petition for writ of review, concluding that substantial medical evidence supported a finding of the cancer presumption.

Case:

• Posted In: Appeal, Work Injury, Writ