Wash. Court of Appeals published opinion — 309941.cor.pdf

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P. Decker, for a fitness for duty examination. Decker evaluated Brownfield on October

19, and issued a report two months later. She found Brownfield unfit for duty primarily

due to an Axis I diagnosis of "[m]ood [d]isorder due to a [g]eneral [m]edical [c]ondition

with mixed features." CP at 184. Axis I is the top level of the DSM multiaxial

comprehensive assessment and denotes acute symptoms needing treatment. Dr. Decker

believed that Brownfield's impairment was permanent because "these [PSYCHIATRIC]

symptoms are now likely ... fixed" this many years after the 2000 car accident. CP at

185. Decker elaborated that medication might stabilize Brownfield's emotional

volatility, but would not fix "the type of [judgment] difficulties [he] displays." CP at

185. She opined that "there is no reasonable accommodation that can be made." CP at

186.

As part of her assessment, Kathleen Decker referred leffBrownfield to forensic

neurologist, G. A. DeAndrea. Dr. DeAndrea's examination of Brownfield confirmed a

neurological impairment consistent with his psychological symptoms.

leffBrownfie1d suffered additional injuries in a second car accident. Dr. Roy

Gondo treated Brownfield's physical injuries from this collision and cleared him to return

No.30994-1-III
Brownjieldv. City of Yakima

to work on February 3, 2006. Gondo, however, is not a mental health professional, and

he did not evaluate or treat Brownfield's psychological condition. When the city of

Yakima asked Dr. Gondo his opinion of Brownfield's psychological condition, he opined

that Brownfield was psychologically fit for duty.

Jeff Brownfield underwent another fitness for duty evaluation with Norman Mar, a