Medical Expenses/Benefits Awarded to Worker, Bad Faith Deferred in Moldy Library Case

SANTA FE, N.M. - A workers' compensation judge has awarded medical expenses and temporary disability benefits to a library worker alleging injury due to mold exposure in a Santa Fe library. However, the judge did not accept diagnoses made by worker's "environmental" doctors and deferred all issues concerning bad faith and unfair claims practices. Julie Bystrom v. City of Santa Fe, No. 00-05763 (N.M. W.C.A.).

According to the Oct. 7 compensation order, the worker did suffer a work-related injury, allergic rhinitis, caused by air quality at the library that entitled her to payment of out-of-pocket documented medical expenses and temporary …