Belinda Go sustained industrial injury to her neck while working for Sutter Solano Medical Center as a registered nurse in 2013.

On May 7, 2015, one of her treating physicians, Christopher Neuberger, M.D. submitted a request for authorization (RFA) for cervical spine surgery and related treatment and services. The RFA was submitted by defendant to its UR provider, which denied authorization. Applicant obtained IMR pursuant to Labor Code section 4610.5, but the UR denial was upheld in a July 22, 2015 IMR determination.

On September 11, 2015, her condition was found to be permanent and stationary following the UR denial by her primary treating physician. A consulting physician said that her neck disability caused 5% whole person impairment (WPI), which rated 7% permanent disability after apportionment of 20% to nonindustrial factors.

Belinda Go returned to work for a period of time until March 22, 2016, and experienced increased symptoms during that time. On March 28, 2016, she followed Dr. Nueberger’s recommendation for cervical spine surgery and self-procured it from Jason Huffman, M.D.

On August 1, 2016, applicant was evaluated by PQME Dr. Zwerin, who found that applicant’s condition became permanent and stationary on July 28, 2016, four months after the surgery. Dr. Zwerin further determined that as a result of the unauthorized surgery, applicant’s neck disability caused 17% WPI and that 20% of the permanent disability is properly apportioned to nonindustrial factors.

Defendant disputed the determination of Dr. Zwerin and argued that because authorization for the cervical spine surgery was denied through the UR and IMR processes that it has no liability for permanent or temporary disability that the surgery caused. Defendant further contends that the pre-surgery reporting of Dr. Cohen should be followed to award 7% permanent disability.

The WCJ found that applicant was entitled to temporary disability indemnity for a period of time following the cervical spine surgery, and finding that the industrial injury caused 23% permanent disability after apportionment, as opined by PQME Dr. Zwerin. The defendant’s petition for reconsideration was denied in the panel decision of Go v Sutter Solano Medial Center.

After reviewing several conflicting panel decisions on this issue, this panel concluded that “An employee is entitled to unapportioned compensation for permanent disability caused by reasonable medical treatment of the industrial injury. (See, Hikida v. Workers’ Comp. Appeals Bd. (2017) 12 Cal.App.5th 1249 [82 Cal.Comp.Cases 679] [2017 Cal. App. LEXIS 572].) In that the UR and IMR statutes are silent on the question of temporary disability indemnity, an employee is not precluded from claiming it even if the disability results from reasonable medical treatment that is self-procured pursuant to section 4605.”