Rene Garcia vs. American Tire Distributors, Broadspire
This case concerns a worker, Rene Garcia, seeking reconsideration of a Workers' Compensation Appeals Board decision. The applicant argued that a stipulation for an Agreed Medical Examiner (AME) should bind the defendant to their recommended bi-level neck surgery. The Board denied reconsideration, affirming the judge's finding that the AME stipulation did not override the statutory requirement to resolve medical treatment disputes through the Utilization Review/Independent Medical Review process. The Board also upheld the denial of attorney fees, as no benefits were awarded under the specific 2011 stipulation.