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Access over workers' compensation decisions, including En Banc, Significant Panel Decisions, and writ-denied cases.

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Claim of Cummins v. North Medical Family Physicians

A claimant sustained a work-related back injury and sought continued medical treatment, which was initially authorized. Disputes over authorization led the claimant to retain an attorney. A Workers’ Compensation Law Judge authorized continued medical treatment but denied counsel fees, stating no "money passing" occurred. The Workers' Compensation Board upheld this decision. The claimant appealed, arguing the Board unconstitutionally applied Workers’ Compensation Law § 24, misinterpreted the statute regarding fee payment from medical benefits, and abused its discretion. The appellate court affirmed the Board's decision, ruling that counsel fees must be paid from "compensation," defined as a money allowance, and medical benefits are not considered "compensation" for this purpose, thus finding no abuse of discretion.

Workers' CompensationCounsel FeesAttorney FeesMedical TreatmentStatutory InterpretationConstitutional LawLienCompensation DefinitionAppellate ReviewBoard Decision
References
3
Case No. ADJ10168011
Regular
Sep 25, 2017

BELINDA GO vs. SUTTER SOLANO MEDICAL CENTER

This case involved an applicant who self-procured cervical spine surgery after her employer denied authorization, which was upheld by an Independent Medical Review. Despite the denial, the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) denied the employer's petition for reconsideration. The WCAB affirmed that injured workers are entitled to temporary and permanent disability for reasonable, self-procured medical treatment, even if initially unauthorized. The Board found the self-procured surgery was reasonable due to its positive outcome, and the Permanent Qualified Medical Evaluator's findings supported the disability award. The WCAB clarified that utilization review and independent medical review processes do not preclude temporary disability indemnity for self-procured treatment deemed reasonable.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardPetition for ReconsiderationUtilization Review (UR)Independent Medical Review (IMR)Self-Procured SurgeryTemporary Disability IndemnityPermanent DisabilityPanel Qualified Medical Evaluator (PQME)Medical Treatment DisputesLabor Code Section 4600
References
14
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Yklik Medical Supply, Inc. v. Allstate Insurance

Plaintiff Yklik Medical Supply, Inc., a medical supply provider, sued Allstate Insurance Company to recover $317 in unpaid medical bills for equipment supplied to its assignor, Tammy Agosto. Yklik moved for summary judgment, asserting proper bill submission and Allstate's failure to timely pay or deny the claim. Allstate argued that the charges exceeded the Workers' Compensation fee schedule and that a partial payment had been made. The court found that Yklik established a prima facie case. The central issue was whether Allstate's fee schedule defense was precluded due to its failure to issue a timely denial within 30 days as mandated by Insurance Law § 5106 (a) and 11 NYCRR 65-3.5. The court ruled that since Allstate waited 56 days to send its denial, it was precluded from raising the fee schedule defense, and therefore, summary judgment was granted to the plaintiff.

No-fault insurancesummary judgmenttimely denialfee schedulepreclusion ruleinsurance lawmedical supplybilling practicespersonal injury protectionassignor
References
19
Case No. ADJ6444600
Regular
Jan 22, 2020

PAUL AGUILAR vs. CITY OF LOS ANGELES

This case involved a dispute over the timeliness of a utilization review (UR) denial for requested medical treatment. The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) granted reconsideration, finding the original WCJ erred by concluding the UR denial was untimely solely due to lack of telephone/fax communication. While the WCAB agreed the UR denial was untimely because it wasn't communicated to the physician as required by law, it found the record incomplete regarding the medical necessity of the treatment. Therefore, the WCAB rescinded the order authorizing treatment and returned the matter to the WCJ for further proceedings to determine medical necessity.

Utilization ReviewRequest for AuthorizationTimelinessCommunicationProspective TreatmentLabor Code Section 4610Administrative Director RuleBodam v. San Bernardino CountyMedical NecessitySubstantial Evidence
References
9
Case No. ADJ10084576
Regular
Oct 06, 2016

ROSE SMITH vs. MEGGITT SENSING SYSTEMS PLC, THE HARTFORD

This case involves Rose Smith's workers' compensation claim where the defendant, Meggit Sensing Systems and its insurer, The Hartford, seek reconsideration of an order allowing Smith to obtain medical treatment outside their Medical Provider Network (MPN). The Appeals Board denied the petition, affirming the WCJ's finding that the defendant's failure to authorize a requested third medical opinion constituted a denial of care. This denial entitled the applicant to seek treatment outside the MPN at the defendant's expense. The defendant argued the request was procedurally deficient and not a request for treatment, but the Board found the failure to respond to the RFA for a third opinion, in context, was a failure to provide reasonable medical treatment.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardMedical Provider Network (MPN)Request for Authorization (RFA)Petition for ReconsiderationDenial of Medical TreatmentThird Medical OpinionUtilization Review (UR)Primary Treating PhysicianCumulative TraumaLoss of Control
References
3
Case No. ADJ6507434
Regular
Jun 07, 2013

GABINO DANIEL MARTINEZ MONTES vs. MURRAY'S IRON WORKS, COMPWEST INSURANCE COMPANY

This case involves a lien claimant, Frontline Medical Associates, seeking reconsideration of the denial of their lien for medical treatment provided to an applicant, Gabino Daniel Martinez Montes. The lien was denied because the claimant failed to prove membership in the defendant's Medical Provider Network (MPN) or demonstrate the necessity of treatment for denied body parts. The Appeals Board adopted the WCJ's report, which found the lien claimant's evidence inadmissible due to non-disclosure and upheld the denial of reconsideration. The claimant also failed to establish that treatment for denied body parts was medically necessary or that the MPN process was properly bypassed.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardPetition for ReconsiderationWorkers' Compensation Administrative Law JudgeFrontline Medical AssociatesLien ClaimantMedical Provider Network (MPN)Pre-Trial Conference StatementAdmissible EvidenceDue ProcessLabor Code Section 4062
References
2
Case No. CV-24-2041
Regular Panel Decision
Jan 15, 2026

In the Matter of the Claim of Wendy Wagner

Wendy Wagner sustained work-related injuries in 1977, eventually classified with a permanent total disability. After denials of medication requests in 2022-2023, she sought a medical exemption from the Medical Treatment Guidelines and Drug Formulary. A Workers' Compensation Law Judge (WCLJ) denied her request, stating a 33-year-old agreement for treatment by a non-coded physician was outside Board jurisdiction. The Workers' Compensation Board affirmed this decision, finding no authority to compel the carrier to pay for non-coded medical providers and that other issues were not ripe. Wagner's subsequent application for reconsideration and/or full Board review was denied. The Appellate Division affirmed the denial of reconsideration, limiting its inquiry to whether the Board's denial was arbitrary and capricious or an abuse of discretion, finding no such abuse. The court also noted that many issues raised were not properly presented to the Board initially.

Workers' Compensation ClaimPermanent Total DisabilityMedical Treatment Guidelines ExemptionDrug Formulary ApplicationReconsideration DenialFull Board ReviewAppellate DivisionJurisdiction DisputeNon-coded Physician PaymentPrior Agreement Validity
References
14
Case No. ADJ6774605
Regular
Sep 02, 2016

Tammy Tran vs. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRY, ZURICH LOS ANGELES

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board granted reconsideration of the Administrative Law Judge's (ALJ) decision, which limited reimbursement for self-procured medical treatment. The Board found that the ALJ erred by only allowing reimbursement for treatment from the claim date until the denial date. Citing *McCoy v. Industrial Accident Commission*, the Board determined that the employer is liable for all reasonably necessary self-procured medical expenses incurred after the employer denied the claim, as this denial effectively refused to provide treatment. Consequently, the Board rescinded the ALJ's award and remanded the case for further proceedings to determine the reasonableness of all self-procured medical expenses.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardPetition for ReconsiderationFindings and AwardSelf-Procured Medical TreatmentLabor Code Section 4600McCoy v. Industrial Accident CommissionDenial of ClaimReimbursementIndustrial InjuryReasonably Necessary Treatment
References
5
Case No. ADJ693974 (OAK 0242212)
Regular
Apr 26, 2019

Glory Shreeve vs. Village Shops/ Ethan Allen Carriage House, Superior National Insurance Company, BROADSPIRE, California Insurance Guarantee Association

In this Workers' Compensation Appeals Board case, applicant Glory Shreeve sought authorization for medical treatment, which was denied by the defendant's Utilization Review (UR) provider. Applicant argued the UR denials were untimely because requests for additional information were not made by a licensed physician, thus invalidating the delays and granting the Board jurisdiction over medical necessity. The Board affirmed the Administrative Law Judge's decision, finding that the UR provider's requests for additional information did not violate Labor Code Section 4610(e) and that the denials were issued within the extended timeframes permitted by DWC Rule 9792.9.1. Consequently, the Board held it lacked jurisdiction to determine the reasonableness and necessity of the requested medical treatment due to the timely UR denials.

Utilization ReviewRequest for AuthorizationLabor Code section 4610(e)DWC Rule 9792.9.1TimelinessJurisdictionMedical NecessityCalifornia Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA)Petition for ReconsiderationAdministrative Law Judge (WCJ)
References
2
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Miller v. O'BRYAN

Plaintiff Donahue Miller filed a Section 1983 action against the Town of Ulster Police Department and several officers, alleging illegal search and seizure, denial of due process, forced medical treatment under New York Public Health Law, and denial of the right to counsel. Miller's claims stemmed from his arrest for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) in June 2003, during which he was taken for medical treatment against his will and denied counsel before a chemical test. Defendants moved for summary judgment, arguing Miller waived his claims by pleading guilty to the DWI charge. The court denied the waiver argument but sua sponte reviewed the merits of Miller's claims. It found that the officers had reasonable suspicion and probable cause for the stop, Miller's extreme intoxication justified the involuntary medical treatment under state interests, and he had no right to condition a chemical test on legal counsel. Consequently, the court granted summary judgment to the defendants and dismissed the complaint.

Section 1983Illegal Search and SeizureDue ProcessForced Medical TreatmentRight to CounselDriving While Intoxicated (DWI)Summary JudgmentFourth AmendmentFourteenth AmendmentNew York Public Health Law
References
28
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