A workers’ compensation judge may reject the uncontradicted testimony of an independent medical witness who has examined a claimant, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled in an opinion that also called for legislative attention to a “systemic concern” with the assignment of physician exams.
In a unanimous May 25 ruling in IA Construction v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (Rhodes), the justices found that the Commonwealth Court erred in determining that a WCJ needed to identify substantial contrary evidence in the record to support the rejection of Dr. M. Bud Lateef’s testimony regarding claimant Jeffrey Rhodes’ disability status.
