CompFox AI Summary
The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board granted CIGA's petition for removal, reversing a prior WCJ order that denied CIGA's objection to the applicant's Declaration of Readiness to Proceed. The Board found that the WCJ erred by preventing CIGA from conducting discovery and obtaining a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) exam, despite the applicant filing his claim nearly eleven years after the alleged injury. The Board emphasized that CIGA has a right to discovery, even after denying a claim, and that any potential violation of administrative rules does not automatically waive these discovery rights. The case was returned to the trial level for further proceedings, allowing CIGA the opportunity to complete its discovery.
Full Decision Text1 Pages
The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board granted CIGA's petition for removal, reversing a prior WCJ order that denied CIGA's objection to the applicant's Declaration of Readiness to Proceed. The Board found that the WCJ erred by preventing CIGA from conducting discovery and obtaining a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) exam, despite the applicant filing his claim nearly eleven years after the alleged injury. The Board emphasized that CIGA has a right to discovery, even after denying a claim, and that any potential violation of administrative rules does not automatically waive these discovery rights. The case was returned to the trial level for further proceedings, allowing CIGA the opportunity to complete its discovery.
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