ALJ's Causation Findings Were Binding on Judge Who Presided Over Later Hearings

An Arizona appellate court ruled that an administrative law judge could not disregard a prior judge’s findings of a causal relationship between a worker’s symptoms and a 2012 accident. Case: Chavarria v. Industrial Commission, No. 2 CA-IC 2017-0002, 09/21/2017, unpublished. Facts and procedural history: Antonio Chavarria worked for the Flowing Wells School District. He suffered a concussion when he lost consciousness and fell while attempting to use the toilet at his home in July 2012. He filed a workers’ compensation claim for his injury, blaming his loss of con...