Adan Alvarez vs. Victor Manuel Martinez, Justine Marie Martinez
The Uninsured Employers Benefits Trust Fund (UEBTF) petitioned for reconsideration of a decision that allowed applicant Adan Alvarez to pursue a workers' compensation claim against Victor Manuel Martinez and Justine Marie Martinez despite his failure to file a proof of claim in the employers' bankruptcy proceedings. UEBTF contended that Alvarez was required to file a proof of claim in a Chapter 7 asset bankruptcy. The Appeals Board denied UEBTF's petition, affirming its prior decision. The Board distinguished this case from previous rulings, concluding that an employee's failure to file a proof of claim in bankruptcy is not fatal to their workers' compensation claim if no award exists at the time of the bankruptcy discharge.