Wadlow v. City of Hollywood / Relation Insurance Services of Florida
JCC Forte (Miami)(Andy Borah & Kate Albin) (3-30-21) – Denied compensability, indemnity, medical care. The claimant is a firefighter/paramedic who sought compensability of a heart condition under §112.18(1). The E/C contended that although the claimant met all the requirements to be afforded the presumption, his condition was systemic sarcoidosis or sarcoidosis that is personal in nature. Dr. Perloff determined that the claimant had cardiac sarcoidosis and that the cause of the claimant’s cardiac sarcoidosis is systemic sarcoidosis, which is not a work-related condition. The claimant’s IME, Dr. Patrick Mathias initially opined there was no evidence of systemic sarcoidosis but in deposition admitted that he did not review the PET scan and agreed that if the PET scan revealed granulomas or hypermetabolic abnormalities in the lungs, it would be suggestive of sarcoidosis. Since Dr. Mathias was not provided with Claimant’s prior MRI or PET scan, Dr. Mathias was not aware when rendering his opinion that sarcoidosis was present in the claimant’s lungs. After being advised that the PET scan revealed granulomas in the lungs, Dr. Mathias’ agreed with Dr. Perloff’s assessment that the cause of the claimant’s heart disease was caused by the claimant’s cardiac sarcoidosis that is not work-related. Click here to view Ord |