State of Alaska, Department of Administration, Division of Retirement & Benefits, Appellant v. Shirley Shea, Appellee

Summary

The court reversed the superior court and reinstated the administrative law judge’s denial of occupational disability benefits. It held that substantial evidence supported both the ALJ’s factual findings and the conclusion that prolonged sitting at work was not a sufficiently significant proximate cause of Shea’s disabling condition to impose legal responsibility on the State. Justice Fabe, dissenting, would have affirmed the superior court because the evidence relied on by the ALJ was irrelevant, speculative, or unsupported.