Gelman

Appellant Donald Gelman sought by writ of mandate to set aside a decision by the Los Angeles County Employees’ Retirement Association, Board of Retirement, (Board) denying him a service-connected disability pension. Appellant’s writ was denied, and this appeal followed.

Appellant’s career as a social worker for the County of Los Angeles began in 1957. In 1966, appellant’s assignment was changed from working with geriatric welfare recipients to “aid to the totally disabled” cases, which included those disabled because of psychosis. Following a strike by Los Angeles County social workers in the same year, appellant became depressed because he did not feel that the county welfare system was adequately caring for welfare recipients. This led to a belief that he was being restricted in his ability to deliver services to his clients, and that individual cases that he serviced suffered because of the limitations placed upon him.

In 1971, appellant became too ill to work. His symptoms of illness included insomnia, frequent nausea, vomiting, shaking, hypertension, difficulty in swallowing and breathing, and inábility to concentrate and a loss of confidence. He applied for a…