California’s Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) and Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) announced two major changes today in an ongoing effort to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Case-in-chief trials will now be heard by the DWC, beginning May 4, via the judges’ individually assigned conference lines. The DIR’s statement outlines specific procedures, and notes that “parties shall not email trial exhibits to DWC or WCAB, unless so ordered by the workers’ compensation judge.”
An en banc order by the WCAB also suspended the 20-day requirements laid out in WCAB Rules 10620 and 10670(b)(3). Documentary trial exhibits are no longer required to be submitted 20 days prior to the trial date.
Please contact us with any questions about what this may mean for you.