Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction

Decision Information

Decision Content

P A R T C D e c i s i o n u n d e r A p p e a l T h e d e c i s i o n u n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l " m i n i s t r y " ) r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n o f A u g u s t 8 , 2 0 t h r e e o f f i v e s t a t u t o r y r e q u i r e m e n t s o f s e c t i o n 2 o f t D i s a b i l i t i e s A c t ( " E A P W D A " ) f o r d e s i g n a t i o n a s a p e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t m e t t h e a g e r e q u i r e m e n t a n d t h a a p p e l l a n t ' s i m p a i r m e n t i s l i k e l y t o c o n t i n u e f o r a t l e a s a t i s f i e d t h a t : • t h e e v i d e n c e e s t a b l i s h e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h • t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s d a i l y l i v i n g a c t i v i t i e s ( " D L A " ) a d i r e c t l y a n d s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t e d e i t h e r c o n t h a t • a s a r e s u l t o f t h o s e r e s t r i c t i o n s , t h e a p p e l l a n a n o t h e r p e r s o n , a n a s s i s t i v e d e v i c e , o r t h e s P A R T D R e l e v a n t L e g i s l a t i o n E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e fo r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )D e v e l o p m e n t a n d S o c i a l I n n o v a t i o n ( t h e 1 4 , w h i c h f o u n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t m e e t h e E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s W i t h r s o n w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s ( " P W D " ) . T h e m i n i s t r y f o u n d t i n t h e o p i n i o n o f a m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r t h e s t t w o y e a r s . H o w e v e r , t h e m i n i s t r y w a s n o t a s a s e v e r e p h y s i c a l o r m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t ; r e , i n t h e o p i n i o n o f a p r e s c r i b e d p r o f e s s i o n a l , t i n u o u s l y o r p e r i o d i c a l l y f o r e x t e n d e d p e r i o d s ; a n d t r e q u i r e s t h e s i g n i f i c a n t h e l p o r s u p e r v i s i o n o f e r v i c e s o f a n a s s i s t a n c e a n i m a l . i l i t i e s A c t ( " E A P W D A " ) , s e c t i o n 2 i l i t i e s R e g u l a t i o n ( " E A P W D R " ) , s e c t i o n 2
PART E -Summary of Facts The appellant did not attend the hearing. Having confirmed that the appellant was notified, the panel proceeded with the hearing in accordance with section 86(b) of the Employment and Assistance Regulation. The information before the ministry at the time of reconsideration included the following: • The appellant's PWD application form consisting of the appellant's self-report (dated February 21, 2014) along with a physician's report ("PR") and assessor's report ("AR") both signed by the appellant's family physician, dated March 31, 2014. The panel reviewed the evidence as follows: Diagnoses • In the PR the appellant's physician diagnosed her as having chronic back and leg pain and an anterior cruciate ligament ("AGL") injury to the right knee. He commented that the appellant injured her back in a fall in 2009. Phvsical Impairment • In terms of physical functional skills, the physician reported in the PR that the appellant can walk for 2 to 4 blocks unaided on a flat surface, climb 5+ stairs unaided, can do "no lifting", and can remain seated for less than 1 hour. He indicated that the appellant has periodic restrictions with outdoor mobility. • In the AR the physician reported that the appellant independently manages walking indoors and outdoors, climbing stairs, and standing. He reported that she requires periodic assistance with lifting/carrying/holding, commenting "limited." In her self-report the appellant wrote that: • she broke her left ankle in 2000, and tore the AGL in her right knee in 2007; • the right knee locks up after she walks 2 blocks; • if she stands for a while she can resume walking, but her back pain limits the amount of time she can stand; • she is unstable when she walks much more than 2 or 3 blocks; • she cannot lift anything more than 5 pounds; • if she "does more than that" she is unable to move the next day; • she does not like to take pills for pain but does so when the pain is bad. Mental Impairment • In the PR the physician did not provide a diagnosis of a mental impairment, and reported 'that the appellant had no significant deficits with cognitive and emotional function. • In the AR the physician indicated that with respect to the appellant's ability to communicate, her speakinQ and hearinQ are Qood, her writinQ is satisfactory, and her readinQ is poor. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
• Section B.4 of the AR deals with cognitive and emotional function, and includes instruction to the assessor to complete the section "for an Applicant with an identified mental impairment or brain injury." The physician left this section blank except for the comment "N/A". In the PR the physician indicated that the appellant: • has not been prescribed any medications or treatments that interfere with DLA; • Is not restricted in the DLA of personal self-care, meal preparation, management of medications, or the indoors aspect of the DLA mobility indoors and outdoors; • requires periodic assistance with the DLA of basic housework and daily shopping, as well as with the outdoors portion of mobility indoors and outdoors; • can walk 1 and a half blocks then her legs go numb; • can do some housework before her back causes too much pain. In the AR the physician indicated that the appellant independently manages all tasks related to all DLA except that she needs periodic help with basic housekeeping and with carrying purchases home. The physician reported that the appellant independently manages all aspects of social functioning, and that she has good functioning with respect to both her immediate and extended social networks. Help • The physician reported that the appellant does not require prostheses or aids for her impairment, and that the appellant does not have an assistance animal. • In the AR the physician indicated that help is provided to the appellant by family and friends, but in response to questions in the form asking him to provide detail as to the type of help received or required by the appellant, the physician provided no further information. EAAT003(10/06/0I)
PART F -Reasons for Panel Decision The issue on appeal is whether the ministry's decision to deny the appellant designation as a PWD was reasonably supported by the evidence or was a reasonable application of the applicable enactment in the circumstances of the appellant. In particular, was the ministry reasonable in determining that the appellant does not have a severe physical or mental impairment, and that in the opinion of a prescribed professional the appellant's impairments do not directly and significantly restrict her from performing DLA either continuously or periodically for extended periods, and that the appellant does not require help to perform DLA as a result of those restrictions. The relevant legislation is as follows: EAPWDA: 2 (1) In this section: "assistive device" means a device designed to enable a person to perform a daily living activity that, because of a severe mental or physical impairment, the person is unable to perform; "daily living activity" has the prescribed meaning; "prescribed professional" has the prescribed meaning. (2) The minister may designate a person who has reached 18 years of age as a person with disabilities for the purposes of this Act if the minister is satisfied that the person has a severe mental or physical impairment that (a) in the opinion of a medical practitioner is likely to continue for at least 2 years, and (b) in the opinion of a prescribed professional (i) directly and significantly restricts the person's ability to perform daily living activities either (A) continuously, or (B) periodically for extended periods, and (ii) as a result of those restrictions, the person requires help to perform those activities. (3) For the purposes of subsection (2), (a) a person who has a severe mental impairment includes a person with a mental disorder, and (b) a person requires help in relation to a daily living activity if, in order to perform it, the person requires (i) an assistive device, (ii) the significant help or supervision of another person, or (iii) the services of an assistance animal. EAAT 003( 10/06/01)
EAPWDR section 2(1): 2 (1) For the purposes of the Act and this regulation, "daily living activities" , (a) in relation to a person who has a severe physical impairment or a severe mental impairment, means the following activities: (i) prepare own meals; (ii) manage personal finances; (iii) shop for personal needs; (iv) use public or personal transportation facilities; (v) perform housework to maintain the person's place of residence in acceptable sanitary condition; (vi) move about indoors and outdoors; (vii) perform personal hygiene and self care; (viii) manage personal medication, and (b) in relation to a person who has a severe mental impairment, includes the following activities: (i) make decisions about personal activities, care or finances; (ii) relate to, communicate or interact with others effectively. (2) For the purposes of the Act, "prescribed professional" means a person who is (a) authorized under an enactment to practise the profession of (i) medical practitioner, (ii) registered psychologist, (iii) registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse, (iv) occupational therapist, (v) physical therapist, (vi) social worker, (vii) chiropractor, or (viii) nurse practitioner, or (b) acting in the course of the person's employment as a school psychologist by (i) an authority, as that term is defined in section 1 (1) of the Independent School Act, or (ii) a board or a francophone education authority, as those terms are defined in section 1 (1) of the School Act, if qualifications in psychology are a condition of such employment. ******* Severe Physical Impairment Implicit in the appellant's self-report is her position that her chronic back, leg and ankle pain together constitute a severe physical impairment. She wrote that her mobility and lifting capacity are limited. The ministry's position is that the evidence does not provide a clear and consistent picture of the dei:iree of restrictions the aooellant may have. The ministry argued that the impacts described by the EAAT 003( 10/06/01)
p h y s i c i a n a r e m o r e i n k e e p i n g w i t h a m o d e r a t e d e g e v i d e n c e t o e s t a b l i s h a s e v e r e p h y s i c a l i m p a i r m e n t P a n e l D e c i s i o n A d i a g n o s i s o f a s e r i o u s m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n d o e s n o s e v e r e i m p a i r m e n t . A n " i m p a i r m e n t " i s a m e d i c a l c a b i l i t y t o f u n c t i o n i n d e p e n d e n t l y o r e f f e c t i v e l y . T o a s s e s s t h e s e v e r i t y o f a n i m p a i r m e n t o n e m u s t c e x t e n t o f i t s i m p a c t o n d a i l y f u n c t i o n i n g a s e v i d e n c e w h i c h p e r f o r m i n g D L A i s r e s t r i c t e d . T h e l e g i s l a t i o n a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e m i n i s t e r , t a k i n g i n t o a c c o u n t a l s o c l e a r t h a t t h e f u n d a m e n t a l b a s i s f o r t h e a n a l y s i n t h i s c a s e , t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n . I n t e r m s o f w a l k i n g a n d s t a i r c l i m b i n g , t h e p h y s i c i a n f u n c t i o n a l s k i l l s a r e i n t h e m i d t o u p p e r r a n g e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t c a n d o n o l i f t i n g , h e r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e a p p h o u s e w o r k , a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d i n h e r s e l f r e p o A s d i s c u s s e d i n m o r e d e t a i l i n t h e s e r e a s o n s f o r d e t o D L A , t h e l i m i t a t i o n s t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c a l f u n r e s t r i c t i o n s t o h e r a b i l i t y t o m a n a g e D L A . F o r t h e f o r e g o i n g r e a s o n s , a n d c o n s i d e r i n g t h e e v i d r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e d o e s n o t e i m p a i r m e n t . S e v e r e M e n t a l I m p a i r m e n t T h e a p p e l l a n t a d v a n c e d n o a r g u m e n t w i t h r e s p e c t t T h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e d o e s n o t m i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t t h e p h y s i c i a n ' s e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t d i f f i c u l t i e s w i t h c o m m u n i c a t i o n . P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e p h y s i c i a n p r o v i d e d n o d i a g n o s i s o f a m e n t a l i m p S e c t i o n 2 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e E A P W D R p r e s c r i b e s t w o D L A d e c i s i o n s a b o u t p e r s o n a l a c t i v i t i e s , c a r e o r f i n a n c e s i n t e r a c t w i t h o t h e r s e f f e c t i v e l y ( s o c i a l f u n c t i o n i n g ) . T h e p h y s i c i a n ' s e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n d e c i s i o n m a k i n a i n t h a t s h e i n d e p e n d e n t l y m a n a g e s E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )" 'I • , . • l r e e o f i m p a i r m e n t , a n d t h a t t h e r e i s n o t e n o u g h . t i n i t s e l f d e t e r m i n e P W D e l i g i b i l i t y o r e s t a b l i s h a o n d i t i o n t h a t r e s u l t s i n r e s t r i c t i o n s t o a p e r s o n ' s o n s i d e r t h e n a t u r e o f t h e i m p a i r m e n t a n d t h e d b y f u n c t i o n a l s k i l l l i m i t a t i o n s a n d t h e d e g r e e t o m a k e s i t c l e a r t h a t t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f s e v e r i t y i s a l l o f t h e e v i d e n c e . H o w e v e r , t h e l e g i s l a t i o n i s i s i s t h e e v i d e n c e f r o m a p r e s c r i b e d p r o f e s s i o n a l ' s e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c a l s c a l e . W h i l e t h e p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e e l l a n t o n l y r e q u i r e s p e r i o d i c a s s i s t a n c e w i t h r t t h a t s h e c a n l i f t u p t o 5 p o u n d s . c i s i o n u n d e r t h e h e a d i n g S i g n i f i c a n t R e s t r i c t i o n s c t i o n i n g d o n o t a p p e a r t o h a v e t r a n s l a t e d i n t o e n c e a s a w h o l e , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y s t a b l i s h t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s a s e v e r e p h y s i c a l o a m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t . e s t a b l i s h a s e v e r e m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t . T h e e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t h a v e a n y a i r m e n t . t h a t a r e s p e c i f i c t o m e n t a l i m p a i r m e n t m a k e ( d e c i s i o n m a k i n g ) , a n d r e l a t e t o , c o m m u n i c a t e o r t i s n o t s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t e d w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e d e c i s i o n m a k i n q a s p e c t s o f m e a l p r e p a r a t i o n
( m e a l p l a n n i n g ) , d a i l y s h o p p i n g ( m a k i n g a p p r o p r i a t e ( f i l l i n g / r e f i l l i n g / t a k i n g a s d i r e c t e d ) , m a n a g e p e r s o n a f u n c t i o n i n g ( a p p r o p r i a t e s o c i a l d e c i s i o n s ) . T h e p h y s i c i a n ' s e v i d e n c e a l s o i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e a p f u n c t i o n i n g i n t h a t s h e i n d e p e n d e n t l y m a n a g e s a l l t a f u n c t i o n i n g w i t h r e s p e c t t o b o t h h e r i m m e d i a t e a n d C o n s i d e r i n g t h e e v i d e n c e a s a w h o l e , t h e p a n e l c o n t h a t i t d o e s n o t d e m o n s t r a t e a s e v e r e m e n t a l i m p a i r S i g n i f i c a n t R e s t r i c t i o n s t o D L A T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t h e r c h r o n i c p a i n l i m i t w h i c h i n t u r n s i g n i f i c a n t l y l i m i t s h e r a b i l i t y t o p e r f o r m T h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e i s n o t s u i m p a i r m e n t s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t s h e r a b i l i t y t o p e r f o r e x t e n d e d p e r i o d s . T h e m i n i s t r y s t a t e d t h a t w h i l e t h e p e r i o d i c a s s i s t a n c e w i t h t h e D L A o f b a s i c h o u s e w o r m o b i li t y i n d o o r s a n d o u t d o o r s , t h e r e i s n o i n f o r m a t i o p e r i o d s . P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e l e g i s l a t i o n s . 2 ( 2 ) ( b ) ( i ) o f t h e E A P W D A r e q u a n d s i g n i f i c a n t r e s t r i c t i o n s o f D L A i n c o n s i d e r a t i o n o c a s e t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s f a m i l y p h y s i c i a n . T h i s d o e s n ' t m a s r e q u i r e d t o p r o v i d e c l a r i f i c a t i o n o f t h e p r o f e s s i o n a c l e a r t h a t t h e p r e s c r i b e d p r o f e s s i o n a l ' s o p i n i o n i s f u n w h e t h e r i t i s " s a t i s f i e d " . T h e l e g i s l a t i o n r e q u i r e s t h a t a s e v e r e i m p a i r m e n t d i r a b i l i t y t o p e 1 i o r m D L A e i t h e r c o n t i n u o u s l y o r p e r i o d i c m e a n s t h a t t h e r e m u s t b e a c a u s a l l i n k b e t w e e n t h e r e s t r i c t i o n m u s t a l s o b e s i g n i f i c a n t . F i n a l l y , t h e r e i s a d i r e c t a n d s i g n i f i c a n t r e s t r i c t i o n m a y b e e i t h e r c o n t i n e x t e n d e d t i m e . I n h e r e n t l y , a n y a n a l y s i s o f p e r i o d i c i t y f r e q u e n c y . A l l o t h e r t h i n g s b e i n g e q u a l , a r e s t r i c t i o n s i g n i f i c a n t t h a n o n e w h i c h o c c u r s s e v e r a l t i m e s a w e e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t e s t h a t a r e s t r i c t i o n a r i s e s p e r i o d i c a l e v i d e n c e o f t h e d u r a t i o n a n d f r e q u e n c y o f t h e r e s t r i c c r i t e r i o n i s m e t . T h e p h y s i c i a n ' s e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t D L A . I n t h e t h r e e a r e a s w h e r e t h e p h y s i c i a n h a s i n d E A A T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )c h o i c e s ) , m a n a g e p e r s o n a l m e d i c a t i o n l f i n a n c e s ( b a n k i n g , b u d g e t i n g ) a n d s o c i a l p e l l a n t i s n o t s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t e d w i t h s o c i a l s k s r e l a t e d t o t h i s D L A , a n d s h e h a s g o o d e x t e n d e d s o c i a l n e t w o r k s . c l u d e s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d m e n t . s h e r m o b i l i t y a n d h e r a b i l i t y t o l i f t / c a r r y / h o l d , D L A . f f i c i e n t t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m D L A e i t h e r c o n t i n u o u s l y o r p e r i o d i c a l l y f o r p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t r e q u i r e s k , d a il y s h o p p i n g a n d t h e o u t d o o r c o m p o n e n t o f n a s t o t h e f r e q u e n c y o r d u r a t i o n o f t h e s e i r e s t h e m i n i s t e r t o s u b s t a n t i a l l y a s s e s s d i r e c t f t h e o p i n i o n o f a p r e s c r i b e d p r o f e s s i o n a l , i n t h i s e a n t h a t o t h e r e v i d e n c e s h o u l d n ' t b e f a c t o r e d i n l e v i d e n c e , b u t t h e l e g i s l a t i v e l a n g u a g e m a k e s i t d a m e n t a l t o t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n a s t o e c t l y a n d s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t s t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a l l y f o r e x t e n d e d p e r i o d s . T h e t e r m " d i r e c t l y " s e v e r e i m p a i r m e n t a n d t h e r e s t r i c t i o n . T h e d i r e c t c o m p o n e n t r e l a t e d t o t i m e o r d u r a t i o n . T h e u o u s o r p e r i o d i c . I f i t i s p e r i o d i c i t m u s t b e f o r a n m u s t a l s o i n c l u d e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e t h a t o n l y a r i s e s o n c e a y e a r i s l e s s l i k e l y t o b e e k . A c c o r d i n g l y , i n c i r c u m s t a n c e s w h e r e t h e l y , i t i s a p p r o p r i a t e f o r t h e m i n i s t r y t o r e q u i r e t i o n i n o r d e r t o b e " s a t i s f i e d " t h a t t h i s l e g i s l a t i v e i n d e p e n d e n t l y m a n a g e s a l m o s t a l l a s p e c t s o f a l l i c a t e d t h e a o o e l l a n t r e q u i r e s p e r i o d i c a s s i s t a n c e
b a s i c h o u s e k e e p i n g , t h e c a r r y i n g p u r c h a s e s h o m t h e h o m e t h e p h y s i c i a n h a s p r o v i d e d n o i n f o r m a t a s s i s t a n c e . C o n s i d e r i n g t h e e v i d e n c e a s a w h o l e , t h e p a n e l c o n t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e i s i n s u f f i c i e n t t o s h o w o n t h e b a l a p e r f o r m h e r D L A i s s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t e d e i t h e r c o n H e l p w i t h D L A T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t s h e r e q u i r e s h e l p w i T h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t s i n c e i t h a s n o t b e e n s i g n i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t e d , i t c a n n o t b e d e t e r m i n e d t h a t P a n e l D e c i s i o n A f i n d i n g t h a t a s e v e r e i m p a i r m e n t d i r e c t l y a n d s i g n D L A e i t h e r c o n t i n u o u s l y o r p e r i o d i c a l l y f o r a n e x t e n d " h e l p " a s d e f i n e d b y s e c t i o n 2 ( 3 ) ( b ) o f t h e E A P W D A p r e c o n d i t i o n h a s n o t b e e n s a t i s f i e d o n t h e b a l a n c e o A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y r e a s o n t h e a p p e l l a n t r e q u i r e s h e l p w i t h D L A a s d e f i n e d b y s C o n c l u s i o n T h e p a n e l a c k n o w l e d g e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m e d i c a H o w e v e r , h a v i n g r e v i e w e d a n d c o n s i d e r e d a l l o f t h e f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t ry ' s d e c i s i o n f i n d i n g t h e a p p e l l a n a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e l e g i s l a t i o n i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )l e a s p e c t o f d a i l y s h o p p i n g , a n d m o b i l i t y o u t s i d e · i o n o n t h e f r e q u e n c y o r d u r a t i o n o f t h e r e q u i r e d c l u d e s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d n c e o f p r o b a b i l i t i e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a b i l i t y t o t i n u o u s l y o r p e r i o d i c a l l y f o r e x t e n d e d p e r i o d s . t h D L A d u e t o t h e r e s t r i c t i o n s s h e e x p e r i e n c e s . e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s D L A a r e s i g n i f i c a n t h e l p i s r e q u i r e d f r o m o t h e r p e r s o n s . i f i c a n t l y r e s t r i c t s a p e r s o n ' s a b i l i t y t o m a n a g e h e r e d p e r i o d i s a p r e c o n d i t i o n t o a p e r s o n r e q u i r i n g . F o r t h e r e a s o n s p r o v i d e d a b o v e , t h a t f p r o b a b i l i t i e s i n t h i s c a s e . a b l y c o n c l u d e d i t c o u l d n o t b e d e t e r m i n e d t h a t e c t i o n 2 ( 3 ) ( b ) o f t h e E A P W D A . l c o n d i t i o n s a f f e c t h e r a b i l i t y t o f u n c t i o n . e v i d e n c e a n d t h e r e l e v a n t l e g i s l a t i o n , t h e p a n e l t i n e l i g i b l e f o r P W D d e s i g n a t i o n i s a r e a s o n a b l e t h e a p p e l l a n t . T h e p a n e l t h e r e f o r e c o n f i r m s t h e
 You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.