Court Finds Claimant Failed to Meet Burden of Proof

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has reversed an administrative law judge's award of benefits to an asthmatic whose complaint about working conditions resulted in an ongoing compensable disability finding, saying the ALJ applied an erroneous standard of proof. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority v. District of Columbia Department of Employment Services, No. 08-AA-1207 (D.C. Ct. App.).

However, the court's April 15 opinion did affirm the Ale's finding that Hughey Payne was temporarily totally disabled by conditions resulting from malfunctioning air conditioning in an underground subway station.

Payne, who began working as a subway station manager …