In Re Estate of Campbell

Claimant-appellant Regina M. Mitchell, an elementary school teacher, appeals from the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Boards (the Board) decision which partially denied workers compensation benefits for her stress-related injury. The injury claimed by Mitchell arose out of a disciplinary measure taken against her for violating the school rule prohibiting the use of corporal punishment. Mitchell maintains that her injury arose out of and in the course of employment and was therefore compensable under the Hawaii Workers Compensation Law, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) chapter 386. Mitchells employer, employer-appellee the State of Hawaii, Department of Education (the DOE), contends that workers compensation benefits were properly denied because an injury precipitated by stress resulting from a disciplinary action for proper cause does not reasonably flow from the conditions of employment.