Court of Appeals Affirms Award of Temporary Benefits in Mental/Mental Claim
Village Credit Union v. Bryant , No. 11-1499 (Iowa App. May 23, 2012), involved the question of whether a claimant who had been held up at gunpoint on two occasions, had established a mental/mental injury and thus was entitled to temporary benefits (the issue of permanency was not before the court in this proceeding). Claimant was understandably upset by the events at work, and Dr. Jennisch concluded that she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and should work for an employer where she had scheduled appointments rather than random encounters with individuals off the street. Claimant found a job following the robberies with another employer, but had an anxiety attack shortly after beginning work, and quit that employment. The deputy concluded, under Brown v. Quik Trip Corp., 641 N.W.2d 725 (Iowa 2002), that claimant had been subjected to events of a sudden, traumatic nature that led to unusual stress, and thus had a compensable mental/mental injury. The de...