‹ Back  |   Print

§23-5-1. Notice by commission or self-insured employer of decision; procedures on claims; objections and hearing.
(a) The Insurance Commissioner, private carriers and self-insured employers may determine all questions within their jurisdiction. In matters arising under subsection (c), section eight, article two-c of this chapter, and under articles three and four of this chapter, the Insurance Commissioner, private carriers and self-insured employers shall promptly review and investigate all claims. The parties to a claim are the claimant and, if applicable, the claimant's dependants, and the employer, and with respect to claims involving funds created in article two-c of this chapter for which he or she has been designated the administrator, the Insurance Commissioner. In claims in which the employer had coverage on the date of the injury or last exposure, the employer's carrier has sole authority to act on the employer's behalf in all aspects related to litigation of the claim. With regard to any issue which is ready for a decision, the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, shall promptly send the decision to all parties, including the basis of its decision. As soon as practicable after receipt of any occupational pneumoconiosis or occupational disease claim or any injury claim in which temporary total benefits are being claimed, the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, shall send the claimant a brochure approved by the Insurance Commissioner setting forth the claims process.

(b) (1) Except with regard to interlocutory matters, upon making any decision, upon making or refusing to make any award or upon making any modification or change with respect to former findings or orders, as provided by section sixteen, article four of this chapter, the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, shall give notice, in writing, to the parties to the claim of its action. The notice shall state the time allowed for filing a protest to the finding. The action of the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, is final unless the decision is protested within sixty days after the receipt of such decision unless a protest is filed within the sixty-day period, the finding or action is final. This time limitation is a condition of the right to litigate the finding or action and hence jurisdictional. Any protest shall be filed with the Office of Judges with a copy served upon the parties to the claim, and other parties in accordance with the procedures set forth in sections eight and nine of this article. An employer may protest decisions incorporating findings made by the Occupational Pneumoconiosis Board, decisions made by the Insurance Commissioner acting as administrator of claims involving funds created in article two-c of this chapter or decisions entered pursuant to subdivision (1), subsection (c), section seven-a, article four of this chapter.

(2) (A) With respect to every application for benefits filed on or after July 1, 2008, in which a decision to deny benefits is protested and the matter involves an issue as to whether the application was properly filed as a new claim or a reopening of a previous claim, the party that denied the application shall begin to make conditional payment of benefits and must promptly give notice to the Office of Judges that another identifiable person may be liable. The Office of Judges shall promptly order the appropriate persons be joined as parties to the proceeding: Provided, That at any time during a proceeding in which conditional payments are being made in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, the Office of Judges may, pending final determination of the person properly liable for payment of the claim, order that such conditional payments of benefits be paid by another party.

(B) Any conditional payment made pursuant to paragraph (A) of this subdivision shall not be deemed an admission or conclusive finding of liability of the person making such payments. When the administrative law judge has made a determination as to the party properly liable for payment of the claim, he or she shall direct any monetary adjustment or reimbursement between or among the Insurance Commissioner, private carriers and self-insured employers as is necessary.

(c) The Office of Judges may direct that:

(1) An application for benefits be designated as a petition to reopen, effective as of the original date of filing;

(2) A petition to reopen be designated as an application for benefits, effective as of the original date of filing; or

(3) An application for benefits or petition to reopen filed with the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer be designated as an application or petition to reopen filed with another private carrier, self-insured employer or Insurance Commissioner, effective as of the original date of filing.

(d) Where an employer protests a written decision entered pursuant to a finding of the Occupational Pneumoconiosis Board, a decision on a claim made by the Insurance Commissioner acting as the administrator of a fund created in article two-c of this chapter, or decisions entered pursuant to subdivision (1), subsection (c), section seven-a, article four of this chapter, and the employer does not prevail in its protest, and in the event the claimant is required to attend a hearing by subpoena or agreement of counsel or at the express direction of the Office of Judges, then the claimant, in addition to reasonable traveling and other expenses, shall be reimbursed for loss of wages incurred by the claimant in attending the hearing.

(e) The Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, may amend, correct or set aside any order or decision on any issue entered by it which, at the time of issuance or any time after that, is discovered to be defective or clearly erroneous or the result of mistake, clerical error or fraud, or with respect to any order or decision denying benefits, otherwise not supported by the evidence, but any protest filed prior to entry of the amended decision is a protest from the amended decision unless and until the administrative law judge before whom the matter is pending enters an order dismissing the protest as moot in light of the amendment. Jurisdiction to issue an amended decision pursuant to this subsection continues until the expiration of two years from the date of a decision to which the amendment is made unless the decision is sooner affected by an action of an administrative law judge or other judicial officer or body: Provided, That corrective actions in the case of fraud may be taken at any time.

§23-5-2. Application by employee for further adjustment of claim; objection to modification; hearing.
In any case where an injured employee makes application in writing for a further adjustment of his or her claim under the provisions of section sixteen, article four of this chapter and the application discloses cause for a further adjustment, the commission shall, after due notice to the employer, make the modifications, or changes with respect to former findings or orders in the claim that are justified. Any party dissatisfied with any modification or change made by the commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, is, upon proper and timely objection, entitled to a hearing, as provided in section nine of this article.

§23-5-3. Refusal to reopen claim; notice; objection.
If it appears to the Insurance Commissioner, private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, that an application filed under section two of this article fails to disclose a progression or aggravation in the claimant's condition, or some other fact or facts which were not previously considered in its former findings and which would entitle the claimant to greater benefits than the claimant has already received, the Insurance Commissioner, private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, shall, within a reasonable time, notify the claimant and the employer that the application fails to establish a prima facie cause for reopening the claim. The notice shall be in writing stating the reasons for denial and the time allowed for objection to the decision of the commission. The claimant may, within sixty days after receipt of the notice, object in writing to the finding. Unless the objection is filed within the sixty-day period, no objection shall be allowed. This time limitation is a condition of the right to objection and hence jurisdictional. Upon receipt of an objection, the Office of Judges shall afford the claimant an evidentiary hearing as provided in section nine of this article.

§23-5-4. Application by employer for modification of award; objection to modification; hearing.
In any case in which an employer makes application in writing for a modification of any award previously made to an employee of the employer, the commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, shall make a decision upon the application. If the application discloses cause for a further adjustment, the commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, shall, after due notice to the employee, make the modifications or changes with respect to former findings or orders that are justified. Any party dissatisfied with any modification or change made or by the denial of an application for modification is, upon proper and timely objection, entitled to a hearing as provided in section nine of this article.

§23-5-5. Refusal of modification; notice; objection.
If in any case it appears to the commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, that the application filed pursuant to section four of this article fails to disclose some fact or facts which were not previously considered by the commission in its former findings, and which would entitle the employer to any modification of the previous award, the commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, shall, within sixty days from the receipt of the application, notify the claimant and employer that the application fails to establish a just cause for modification of the award. The notice shall be in writing stating the reasons for denial and the time allowed for objection to the decision of the commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable. The employer may, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, object in writing to the decision. Unless the objection is filed within the thirty-day period, no objection shall be allowed. This time limitation is a condition of the right to objection and hence jurisdictional. Upon receipt of the objection, the office of judges shall afford the employer an evidentiary hearing as provided in section nine of this article.

§23-5-6. Time periods for objections and appeals; extensions.
Notwithstanding the fact that the time periods set forth for objections, protests and appeals to or from the workers' compensation office of judges are jurisdictional, the periods may be extended or excused upon application of either party within a period of time equal to the applicable period by requesting an extension of the time period showing good cause or excusable neglect, accompanied by the objection or appeal petition. In exercising discretion the administrative law judge, appeal board or court, as the case may be, shall consider whether the applicant was represented by counsel and whether timely and proper notice was actually received by the applicant or the applicant's representative.

§23-5-7. Compromise and settlement.
With the exception of medical benefits for nonorthopedic occupational disease claims, the claimant, the employer and the Workers' Compensation Commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, may negotiate a final settlement of any and all issues in a claim wherever the claim is in the administrative or appellate processes. If the employer is not active in the claim, the commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, may negotiate a final settlement of any and all issues in a claim except for medical benefits for nonorthopedic occupational disease claims with the claimant and said settlement shall be made a part of the claim record. Except in cases of fraud, no issue that is the subject of an approved settlement agreement may be reopened by any party, including the commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable. Any settlement agreement may provide for a lump-sum payment or a structured payment plan, or any combination thereof, or any other basis as the parties may agree. If a self-insured employer later fails to make the agreed-upon payment, the commission shall assume the obligation to make the payments and shall recover the amounts paid or to be paid from the self-insurer employer and its sureties or guarantors or both as provided in section five and five-a, article two of this chapter.

Each settlement agreement shall provide the toll free number of the West Virginia State Bar Association and shall provide the injured worker with five business days to revoke the executed agreement. The Insurance Commissioner may void settlement agreements entered into by an unrepresented injured worker which are determined to be unconscionable pursuant to criteria established by rule of the commissioner.

The amendments to this section enacted during the regular session of the Legislature in the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine shall apply to all settlement agreements executed after the effective date.

§23-5-8. Designation of office of administrative law judges; powers of chief administrative law judge.
(a) The workers' compensation office of administrative law judges previously created pursuant to chapter twelve, acts of the Legislature, one thousand nine hundred ninety, second extraordinary session, is hereby continued and designated to be an integral part of the workers' compensation system of this state. The office of judges shall be under the supervision of a chief administrative law judge who shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(b) The chief administrative law judge shall be a person who has been admitted to the practice of law in this state and shall also have had at least four years of experience as an attorney. The chief administrative law judge's salary shall be set by the workers' compensation board of managers. The salary shall be within the salary range for comparable chief administrative law judges as determined by the State Personnel Board created by section six, article six, chapter twenty-nine of this code. The chief administrative law judge may only be removed by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Workers' Compensation Board of managers. Upon transfer of the office of judges to the Insurance Commissioner, the chief administrative law judge shall continue to serve as chief administrative law judge until the thirty-first day of December, two thousand seven. Thereafter, appointments of the chief administrative law judge shall be for terms of four years beginning the first day of January, two thousand eight, and the chief administrative law judge may be removed only for cause by the vote of four members of the Industrial Council. No other provision of this code purporting to limit the term of office of any appointed official or employee or affecting the removal of any appointed official or employee is applicable to the chief administrative law judge.

(c) The chief administrative law judge shall employ administrative law judges and other personnel that are necessary for the proper conduct of a system of administrative review of orders issued by the Workers' Compensation Commission which orders have been objected to by a party. The employees shall be in the classified service of the state. Qualifications, compensation and personnel practice relating to the employees of the office of judges, other than the chief administrative law judge, shall be governed by the provisions of this code and rules of the classified service pursuant to article six, chapter twenty-nine of this code. All additional administrative law judges shall be persons who have been admitted to the practice of law in this state and shall also have had at least two years of experience as an attorney. The chief administrative law judge shall supervise the other administrative law judges and other personnel which collectively shall be referred to in this chapter as the office of judges.

(d) The administrative expense of the office of judges shall be included within the annual budget of the Workers' Compensation Commission and, upon termination of the commission, the Insurance Commissioner.

(e) The office of judges shall, from time to time, promulgate rules of practice and procedure for the hearing and determination of all objections to findings or orders of the Workers' Compensation Commission. The office of judges shall not have the power to initiate or to promulgate legislative rules as that phrase is defined in article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. Any rules adopted pursuant to this section which are applicable to the provisions of this article are not subject to sections nine through sixteen, inclusive, article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The office of judges shall follow the remaining provisions of said chapter for giving notice to the public of its actions and the holding of hearings or receiving of comments on the rules.

(f) The chief administrative law judge has the power to hear and determine all disputed claims in accordance with the provisions of this article, establish a procedure for the hearing of disputed claims, take oaths, examine witnesses, issue subpoenas, establish the amount of witness fees, keep records and make reports that are necessary for disputed claims and exercise any additional powers, including the delegation of powers to administrative law judges or hearing examiners that are necessary for the proper conduct of a system of administrative review of disputed claims. The chief administrative law judge shall make reports that are requested of him or her by the workers' compensation board of managers.

(g) Effective upon termination of the commission, the office of judges and the board of review shall be transferred to the Insurance Commissioner, which shall have the oversight and administrative authority heretofore provided to the executive director and the board of managers.

§23-5-9. Hearings on objections to Insurance Commissioner; private carrier or self-insured employer decisions; mediation; remand.
(a) Objections to a decision of the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, made pursuant to the provisions of section one of this article shall be filed with the office of judges. Upon receipt of an objection, the office of judges shall notify the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, and all other parties of the filing of the objection. The office of judges shall establish by rule promulgated in accordance with the provisions of subsection (e), section eight of this article an adjudicatory process that enables parties to present evidence in support of their positions and provides an expeditious resolution of the objection. The employer, the claimant, the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever are applicable, shall be notified of any hearing at least ten days in advance. The office of judges shall review and amend, or modify, as necessary, its procedural rules by the first day of July, two thousand seven.

(b) The office of judges shall establish a program for mediation to be conducted in accordance with the requirements of rule twenty-five of the West Virginia Trial Court Rules. The parties may agree that the result of the mediation is binding. A case may be referred to mediation by the administrative law judge on his or her own motion, on motion of a party or by agreement of the parties. Upon issuance of an order for mediation, the office of judges shall assign a mediator from a list of qualified mediators maintained by the West Virginia State Bar.

(c) The office of judges shall keep full and complete records of all proceedings concerning a disputed claim. Subject to the rules of practice and procedure promulgated pursuant to section eight of this article, the record upon which the matter shall be decided shall include any evidence submitted by a party to the office of judges and evidence taken at hearings conducted by the office of judges. The record may include evidence or documents submitted in electronic form or other appropriate medium in accordance with the rules of practice and procedure. The office of judges is not bound by the usual common law or statutory rules of evidence.

(d) All hearings shall be conducted as determined by the chief administrative law judge pursuant to the rules of practice and procedure promulgated pursuant to section eight of this article. Upon consideration of the designated record, the chief administrative law judge or other authorized adjudicator within the office of judges shall, based on the determination of the facts of the case and applicable law, render a decision affirming, reversing or modifying the action protested. The decision shall contain findings of fact and conclusions of law and shall be mailed to all parties.

(e) The office of judges may remand a claim to the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, for further development of the facts or administrative matters as, in the opinion of the administrative law judge, may be necessary for a full and complete disposition of the case. The administrative law judge shall establish a time within which the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, must report back to the administrative law judge.

(f) The decision of the office of judges regarding any objections to a decision of the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, is final and benefits shall be paid or denied in accordance with the decision, unless an order staying the payment of benefits is specifically entered by the Workers' Compensation Board of Review created in section eleven of this article or by the administrative law judge who granted the benefits. No stay with respect to any medical treatment or rehabilitation authorized by the office of judges may be granted. If the decision is subsequently appealed and reversed in accordance with the procedures set forth in this article, and any overpayment of benefits occurs as a result of such reversal, any such overpayment may be recovered pursuant to the provisions of subsection (h), section one-c, article four of this chapter or subsection (d), section one-d of said article, as applicable.

§23-5-10. Appeal from administrative law judge decision to appeal board.
The employer, claimant, Workers' Compensation Commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, may appeal to the appeal board created in section eleven of this article for a review of a decision by an administrative law judge. No appeal or review shall lie unless application therefor be made within thirty days of receipt of notice of the administrative law judge's final action or in any event within sixty days of the date of such final action, regardless of notice and, unless the application for appeal or review is filed within the time specified, no such appeal or review shall be allowed, such time limitation being hereby declared to be a condition of the right of such appeal or review and hence jurisdictional.

§23-5-11. Workers' Compensation Board of Review generally.
(a) On the thirty-first day of January, two thousand four, the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board heretofore established in this section is hereby abolished.

(b) There is created the "Workers' Compensation Board of Review", which may also be referred to as "the Board of Review" or "the board". Effective the first day of February, two thousand four, the Board of Review shall exercise exclusive jurisdiction over all appeals from the Workers' Compensation Office of Judges including any and all appeals pending with the Board of Appeals on the thirty-first day of January, two thousand four.

(c) The board consists of three members.

(d) The Governor shall appoint, from names submitted by the "Workers' Compensation Board of Review Nominating Committee", with the advice and consent of the Senate, three qualified attorneys to serve as members of the Board of Review. If the Governor does not select a nominee for any vacant position from the names provided by the nominating committee, he shall notify the nominating committee of that circumstance and the committee shall provide additional names for consideration by the Governor. A member of the Board of Review may be removed by the Governor for official misconduct, incompetence, neglect of duty, gross immorality or malfeasance and then only after notice and opportunity to respond and present evidence. No more than two of the members of the board may be of the same political party. The members of the Board of Review shall be paid an annual salary of eighty-five thousand dollars: Provided, That on and after the first day of July, two thousand eight the Governor shall set the salary of the members of the board: Provided, however, That the annual salary of a member of the Board of Review shall not exceed one hundred ten thousand dollars. Members are entitled to be reimbursed for actual and necessary travel expenses incurred in the discharge of official duties in a manner consistent with the guidelines of the Travel Management Office of the Department of Administration.

(e) The nominating committee consists of the following members: (1) The President of the West Virginia State Bar who serves as the chairperson of the committee; (2) an active member of the West Virginia State Bar Workers' Compensation Committee selected by the major trade association representing employers in this state; (3) an active member of the West Virginia State Bar Workers' Compensation Committee selected by the highest ranking officer of the major employee organization representing workers in this state; (4) the Dean of the West Virginia University School of Law; and (5) the Chairman of the Judicial Investigation Committee.

(f) The nominating committee is responsible for reviewing and evaluating candidates for possible appointment to the Board of Review by the Governor. In reviewing candidates, the nominating committee may accept comments from and request information from any person or source.

(g) Each member of the nominating committee may submit up to three names of qualified candidates for each position on the Board of Review: Provided, That the member of the nominating committee selected by the major trade organization representing employers of this state shall submit at least one name of a qualified candidate for each position on the board who either is, or who represents, small business employers of this state. After careful review of the candidates, the committee shall select a minimum of one candidate for each position on the board.

(h) Of the initial appointments, one member shall be appointed for a term ending the thirty-first day of December, two thousand six; one member shall be appointed for a term ending the thirty-first day of December, two thousand eight; and one member shall be appointed for a term ending the thirty-first day of December, two thousand ten. Thereafter, The appointments shall be for six-year terms.

(i) A member of the Board of Review must, at the time he or she takes office and thereafter during his or her continuance in office, be a resident of this state, be a member in good standing of the West Virginia State Bar, have a minimum of ten years' experience as an attorney admitted to practice law in this state prior to appointment and have a minimum of five years' experience in preparing and presenting cases or hearing actions and making decisions on the basis of the record of those hearings before administrative agencies, regulatory bodies or courts of record at the federal, state or local level.

(j) No member of the Board of Review may hold any other office, or accept any appointment or public trust, nor may he or she become a candidate for any elective public office or nomination thereto. Violation of this subsection requires the member to vacate his or her office. No member of the Board of Review may engage in the practice of law during his or her term of office.

(k) A vacancy occurring on the board other than by expiration of a term shall be filled in the manner original appointments were made, for the unexpired portion of the term.

(l) The board shall designate one of its members in rotation to be chairman of the board for as long as the board may determine by order made and entered of record. In the absence of the chairman, any other member designated by the members present shall act as chairman.

(m) The Board of Review shall meet as often as necessary to hold review hearings, at such times and places as the chairman may determine. Two members shall be present in order to conduct review hearings or other business. All decisions of the board shall be determined by a majority of the members of the board.

(n) The Board of Review shall make general rules regarding the pleading, including the form of the petition and any responsive pleadings, practice and procedure to be used by the board.

(o) The Board of Review may hire a clerk and other professional and clerical staff necessary to carry out the requirements of this article. It is the duty of the clerk of the Board of Review to attend in person, or by deputy, all the sessions of the board, to obey its orders and directions, to take care of and preserve in an office, kept for the purpose, all records and papers of the board and to perform other duties as prescribed by law or required of him or her by the board. All employees of the board serve at the will and pleasure of the board. The board's employees are exempt from the salary schedule or pay plan adopted by the Division of Personnel. All personnel of the Board of Review are under the supervision of the chairman of the Board of Review.

(p) If considered necessary by the board, the board may, through staffing or other resources, procure assistance in review of medical portions of decisions.

(q) Upon the conclusion of any hearing, or prior thereto with concurrence of the parties, the board shall promptly determine the matter and make an award in accordance with its determination.

(r) The award shall become a part of the commission file. A copy of the award shall be sent forthwith by mail to all parties in interest.

(s) The award is final when entered. The award shall contain a statement explaining the rights of the parties to an appeal to the Board of Review and the applicable time limitations involved.

(t) The board shall submit to the Insurance Commissioner a budget sufficient to adequately provide for the administrative and other operating expenses of the board.

(u) The board shall report monthly to the Industrial Council on the status of all claims on appeal.

(v) Effective upon termination of the commission, the Board of Review shall be transferred to the Insurance Commissioner which shall have the oversight and administrative authority heretofore provided to the executive director and the board of managers.

§23-5-12. Appeal to board; procedure; remand and supplemental hearing.
(a) Any employer, employee, claimant or dependent who shall feel aggrieved at any final action of the administrative law judge taken after a hearing held in accordance with the provisions of section nine of this article shall have the right to appeal to the board created in section eleven of this article for a review of such action. The Workers' Compensation Commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, shall likewise have the right to appeal to the board any final action taken by the administrative law judge. The aggrieved party shall file a written notice of appeal with the board of review, with a copy to the office of judges, within thirty days after receipt of notice of the action complained of or, in any event, regardless of notice, within sixty days after the date of the action complained of, and unless the notice of appeal is filed within the time specified, no appeal shall be allowed, the time limitation is a condition of the right to appeal and hence jurisdictional. The board shall notify the other parties immediately upon the filing of a notice of appeal. The notice of appeal shall state the ground for review and whether oral argument is requested. The office of judges, after receiving a copy of the notice of appeal, shall forthwith make up a transcript of the proceedings before the office of judges and certify and transmit it to the board. The certificate shall incorporate a brief recital of the proceedings in the case and recite each order entered and the date thereof.

(b) The board shall set a time and place for the hearing of arguments on each claim and shall notify the interested parties thereof. The review by the board shall be based upon the record submitted to it and such oral argument as may be requested and received. The board may affirm, reverse, modify or supplement the decision of the administrative law judge and make such disposition of the case as it determines to be appropriate. Briefs may be filed by the interested parties in accordance with the rules of procedure prescribed by the board. The board may affirm the order or decision of the administrative law judge or remand the case for further proceedings. It shall reverse, vacate or modify the order or decision of the administrative law judge if the substantial rights of the petitioner or petitioners have been prejudiced because the administrative law judge's findings are:

(1) In violation of statutory provisions; or

(2) In excess of the statutory authority or jurisdiction of the administrative law judge; or

(3) Made upon unlawful procedures; or

(4) Affected by other error of law; or

(5) Clearly wrong in view of the reliable, probative and substantial evidence on the whole record; or

(6) Arbitrary or capricious or characterized by abuse of discretion or clearly unwarranted exercise of discretion.

(c) After a review of the case, the board shall issue a written decision and send a copy by mail to the parties.

(1) All decisions, findings of fact and conclusions of law of the board of review shall be in writing and state with specificity the laws and facts relied upon to sustain, reverse or modify the administrative law judge's decision.

(2) Decisions of the board of review shall be made by a majority vote of the board of review.

(3) A decision of the board of review is binding upon the executive director and the commission and the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, with respect to the parties involved in the particular appeal. The executive director, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, shall have the right to seek judicial review of a board of review decision irrespective of whether or not he or she appeared or participated in the appeal to the board of review.

(d) Instead of affirming, reversing or modifying the decision of the administrative law judge, the board may, upon motion of any party or upon its own motion, for good cause shown, to be set forth in the order of the board, remand the case to the chief administrative law judge for the taking of such new, additional or further evidence as in the opinion of the board may be necessary for a full and complete development of the facts of the case. In the event the board shall remand the case to the chief administrative law judge for the taking of further evidence, the administrative law judge shall proceed to take new, additional or further evidence in accordance with any instruction given by the board within thirty days after receipt of the order remanding the case. The chief administrative law judge shall give to the interested parties at least ten days' written notice of the supplemental hearing, unless the taking of evidence is postponed by agreement of parties, or by the administrative law judge for good cause. After the completion of a supplemental hearing, the administrative law judge shall, within sixty days, render his or her decision affirming, reversing or modifying the former action of the administrative law judge. The decision shall be appealable to and proceeded with by the board of review in the same manner as other appeals. In addition, upon a finding of good cause, the board may remand the case to the Workers' Compensation Commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, for further development. Any decision made by the commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, following a remand shall be subject to objection to the office of judges and not to the board. The board may remand any case as often as in its opinion is necessary for a full development and just decision of the case.

(e) All appeals from the action of the administrative law judge shall be decided by the board at the same session at which they are heard, unless good cause for delay thereof be shown and entered of record.

(f) In all proceedings before the board, any party may be represented by counsel.

§23-5-13. Continuances and supplemental hearings; claims not to be denied on technicalities.
It is the policy of this chapter that the rights of claimants for workers' compensation be determined as speedily and expeditiously as possible to the end that those incapacitated by injuries and the dependents of deceased workers may receive benefits as quickly as possible in view of the severe economic hardships which immediately befall the families of injured or deceased workers. Therefore, the criteria for continuances and supplemental hearings "for good cause shown" are to be strictly construed by the chief administrative law judge and his or her authorized representatives to prevent delay when granting or denying continuances and supplemental hearings. It is also the policy of this chapter to prohibit the denial of just claims of injured or deceased workers or their dependents on technicalities.

§23-5-14. Disqualification of board members.
In any appeal wherein a board member is a party, or is interested in the results thereof otherwise than as a general subscriber to the compensation fund, or he or she is connected with a contributor therein, or is a beneficiary therein, or is connected with a beneficiary therein, he or she shall be disqualified from participating in the hearing and determination of such appeal.

§23-5-15. Appeals from final decisions of Board to Supreme Court of Appeals; procedure; costs.
(a) Review of any final decision of the board, including any order of remand, may be prosecuted by either party or by the Workers' Compensation Commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, to the Supreme Court of Appeals within thirty days from the date of the final order by filing a petition therefor with the court against the board and the adverse party or parties as respondents. Unless the petition for review is filed within the thirty-day period, no appeal or review shall be allowed, such time limitation is a condition of the right to such appeal or review and hence jurisdictional. The clerk of the Supreme Court of Appeals shall notify each of the respondents and the Workers' Compensation Commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, of the filing of such petition. The board shall, within ten days after receipt of the notice, file with the clerk of the court the record of the proceedings had before it, including all the evidence. The court or any judge thereof in vacation may thereupon determine whether or not a review shall be granted. If review is granted to a nonresident of this state, he or she shall be required to execute and file with the clerk before an order or review shall become effective, a bond, with security to be approved by the clerk, conditioned to perform any judgment which may be awarded against him or her. The board may certify to the court and request its decision of any question of law arising upon the record, and withhold its further proceeding in the case, pending the decision of court on the certified question, or until notice that the court has declined to docket the same. If a review is granted or the certified question is docketed for hearing, the clerk shall notify the board and the parties litigant or their attorneys and the Workers' Compensation Commission, the successor to the commission, other private insurance carriers and self-insured employers, whichever is applicable, of that fact by mail. If a review is granted or the certified question docketed, the case shall be heard by the court in the same manner as in other cases, except that neither the record nor briefs need be printed. Every review granted or certified question docketed prior to thirty days before the beginning of the term, shall be placed upon the docket for that term. The Attorney General shall, without extra compensation, represent the board in such cases. The court shall determine the matter brought before it and certify its decision to the board and to the commission. The cost of the proceedings on petition, including a reasonable attorney's fee, not exceeding thirty dollars to the claimant's attorney, shall be fixed by the court and taxed against the employer if the latter is unsuccessful. If the claimant, or the commission (in case the latter is the applicant for review) is unsuccessful, the costs, not including attorney's fees, shall be taxed against the commission, payable out of the Workers' Compensation Fund, or shall be taxed against the claimant, in the discretion of the court. But there shall be no cost taxed upon a certified question.

(b) In reviewing a decision of the board of review, the Supreme Court of Appeals shall consider the record provided by the board and give deference to the board's findings, reasoning and conclusions, in accordance with subsections (c) and (d) of this section.

(c) If the decision of the board represents an affirmation of a prior ruling by both the commission and the office of judges that was entered on the same issue in the same claim, the decision of the board may be reversed or modified by the Supreme Court of Appeals only if the decision is in clear violation of constitutional or statutory provision, is clearly the result of erroneous conclusions of law, or is based upon the board's material misstatement or mischaracterization of particular components of the evidentiary record. The court may not conduct a de novo re-weighing of the evidentiary record. If the court reverses or modifies a decision of the board pursuant to this subsection, it shall state with specificity the basis for the reversal or modification and the manner in which the decision of the board clearly violated constitutional or statutory provisions, resulted from erroneous conclusions of law, or was based upon the board's material misstatement or mischaracterization of particular components of the evidentiary record.

(d) If the decision of the board effectively represents a reversal of a prior ruling of either the commission or the office of judges that was entered on the same issue in the same claim, the decision of the board may be reversed or modified by the Supreme Court of Appeals only if the decision is in clear violation of constitutional or statutory provisions, is clearly the result of erroneous conclusions of law, or is so clearly wrong based upon the evidentiary record that even when all inferences are resolved in favor of the board's findings, reasoning and conclusions, there is insufficient support to sustain the decision. The court may not conduct a de novo re-weighing of the evidentiary record. If the court reverses or modifies a decision of the board pursuant to this subsection, it shall state with specificity the basis for the reversal or modification and the manner in which the decision of the board clearly violated constitutional or statutory provisions, resulted from erroneous conclusions of law, or was so clearly wrong based upon the evidentiary record that even when all inferences are resolved in favor of the board's findings, reasoning and conclusions, there is insufficient support to sustain the decision.

§23-5-16. Fees of attorney for claimant; unlawful charging or receiving of attorney fees.
(a) No attorney's fee in excess of twenty percent of any award granted shall be charged or received by an attorney for a claimant or dependent. In no case shall the fee received by the attorney of such claimant or dependent be in excess of twenty percent of the benefits to be paid during a period of two hundred eight weeks. The interest on disability or dependent benefits as provided for in this chapter shall not be considered as part of the award in determining any such attorney's fee. However, any contract entered into in excess of twenty percent of the benefits to be paid during a period of two hundred eight weeks, as herein provided, shall be unlawful and unenforceable as contrary to the public policy of this state and any fee charged or received by an attorney in violation thereof shall be deemed an unlawful practice and render the attorney subject to disciplinary action.

(b) On a final settlement an attorney may charge a fee not to exceed twenty percent of the total value of the medical and indemnity benefits: Provided, That this attorney's fee, when combined with any fees previously charged or received by the attorney for permanent partial disability or permanent total disability benefits may not exceed twenty percent of an award of benefits to be paid during a period of two hundred eight weeks.

§23-5-17.
Repealed.

Acts, 2009 Reg. Sess., Ch. 222.

§23-5-18.
Repealed.

Acts, 2009 Reg. Sess., Ch. 222.

Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2012 1st Special Session