Solberg v. TICE ELECTRIC

Claimant seeks review of an order of the Workers’ Compensation Board reversing an order of an administrative law judge (ALJ) and upholding employer’s denial of claimant’s occupational disease claim for an employment-related condition known as “pleural plaques.” We affirm the board’s order holding that claimant has not established an occupational disease.

The facts are undisputed. Claimant has noncompensable, severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, related to cigarette smoking. Because a chest x-ray showed pleural plaques, an asbestos-related condition, claimant was referred to Dr.…