SAIF Corp. v. Allen

SAIF Corporation, on behalf of its insured, Hap Taylor and Sons, denied Allen’s claim for workers’ compensation benefits for “L5-S1 spondylosis,” a back condition causing stiffness and pain. Claimant requested a hearing. An administrative law judge (ALJ) analyzed the claim as though it was based on a “combined condition,” that is, a condition involving both a prior, accepted workplace injury and a degenerative disease that preceded it. He found that the workplace injury was the major contributing cause of the disability or need for treatment and therefore ordered SAIF to set aside the denial…