What was disputed, and how it came out
Each issue the panel decided, with the reasoning it gave. An outcome is what this panel did on this record — not a rule, and not a prediction.
Austin Evenson was found to be a partial dependent based on his testimony about support from the decedent and his living arrangements.
The Appeals Board affirmed the WCJ's finding that Brandy the applicant is a presumptive total dependent based on evidence including the 2017 tax return and testimony about her income and support from the decedent.
From the decision · page 8Finally, Ariana the applicant's petition alleges that the evidence does not justify the finding that widow Brandy the applicant was a total dependent because the 2017 tax return should not have been admitted and "was unquestionably fraudulent" (referring to petitioner's 1/6/2026 Supplemental Trial Brief, which points out that the return improperly took expense deductions from decedent's employment earnings). It appears that the WCJ relied upon both the tax return and testimony from multiple witnesses at trial that justifies her part of the 2017 joint tax return. Lynn Niekerasz, a
The Appeals Board amended the WCJ's findings to find Jovie Fischer was a presumptive total dependent based on statutory interpretation and evidence that the decedent was acting as a parent to her.