CARL DIXON vs. PHILLIPS BUICK, PONTIAC & MAZDA, CLARENDON NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY, Administered By AMERICAN ALL RISK LOSS ADMINISTRATORS, SECURITY INSURANCE COMPANY, Administered By LWP CLAIMS SOLUTIONS
The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) denied the defendant's petition for reconsideration, reaffirming that Labor Code § 4610 utilization review is mandatory for challenging medical treatment requests, even when an Agreed Medical Evaluator (AME) is involved. The WCAB also imposed $900 in sanctions on the Law Offices of Robin Jacobs for filing a deficient and unserved petition for reconsideration, and for failing to disclose a non-attorney's involvement. The applicant's attorney's response failed to adequately address these grounds, leading to the imposition of sanctions. The case is returned to the WCJ to correct prior decision deficiencies.