Unexplained Collapse of Worker on the Job Properly Presumed to Arise Out of Employment

The Third Department determined the worker’s death was compensable.  The worker, who had an enlarged heart, collapsed on the job and later died. There was evidence that the heart arrhythmia which may have caused death may have been work-related:

“‘Unexplained or unwitnessed accidents which occur in the course of employment are presumed, pursuant to Workers’ Compensation Law § 21 (1), to arise out of such employment'” … . In order to rebut the presumption, the employer was required to come forward with substantial evidence demonstrating that decedent’s death was not work-related … .

The employer relies on the autopsy report and an independent medical report by Stephen Nash, a cardiologist who reviewed the records on the employer’s behalf. Nash opined that decedent’s death was caused by a cardiac arrhythmia superimposed on the underlying condition of his enlarged heart. Nash attributed evidence of decedent’s lack of sleep as a contributory factor, but did not rule out decedent’s work as playing a role in his death. Although decedent’s coworkers witnessed the accident and the autopsy report lists the enlarged heart as the cause of death, the Board appropriately invoked the presumption of compensability inasmuch as “the cause of decedent’s fatal arrhythmia remains unexplained” … . Matter of Estate of Moody v Quality Structures Inc, 2014 NY Slip Op 03313, 3rd Dept 5-8-14