What standard must a public safety officer demonstrate to make a psychiatric injury compensable?

• A. Clear and convincing evidence
• B. Preponderance of the evidence that actual events of employment were a cause among all sources
• C. Beyond a reasonable doubt
• D. A medical opinion alone

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is the standard of proof used to establish a compensable psychiatric injury for a public safety officer. In California workers’ compensation cases, the injury is compensable when it’s proven by a preponderance of the evidence that actual events of employment were a cause of the psychiatric injury, taking into account all possible sources of causation.

Preponderance of the evidence means more likely than not. It requires showing that work-related events contributed to the injury, not relying solely on a medical opinion or on criminal-style certainty. The evidence must consider all sources of causation, including non-work factors and preexisting conditions, and demonstrate that employment events were a cause among these sources.

Higher standards like clear and convincing evidence or beyond a reasonable doubt are not the norm for workers’ compensation causation. A medical opinion alone is not sufficient by itself to establish compensability; you need the broader showing that work events were a contributing cause in the context of all possible factors.