Massachusetts Workers Compensation Conference
For Massachusetts workers comp cases that are disputed in court, the second step in the dispute process after the Conciliation is a Massachusetts workers compensation Conference. If you have an attorney, he/she will attend the Conference with you.
If you don’t have an attorney and you have a Conference coming up, it is time to hire a Massachusetts workers attorney. That is because the Conference can greatly impact your workers compensation rights so you want to make sure you are protected. Usually a Conference will take place 3-4 months after the Conciliation.
What You Can Expect At Conference
Prior to Conference both parties must submit to the judge the medical and non-medical exhibits they will be introducing into evidence at Conference.
The Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents has very specific guidelines and submission procedures that must be followed or else the exhibits submitted will be rejected.
At Conference the insurance company lawyer will present the insurer’s case and your workers compensation lawyer will present your case to the judge. The judge will likely only want to hear from the lawyers and you likely will not be asked any questions by the judge. A day or two later the judge will send his/her order to the parties. The order is the judge’s Conference decision.
The Conference Order Can Be Appealed
Either party may appeal the order within 14 days of the date of the order. If it is a medical issue that is being appealed, then the appealing party must send in a completed Form 121, along with a check for $650 to the Department of Industrial Accidents. That check will be used to pay the impartial doctor that will be reviewing the medical records submitted at Conference.
Boston Workers Compensation Lawyer Can Help With Your Upcoming Conference
Contact our Boston workers compensation law firm with any questions you have. We offer free consultations and we only get paid if we get you your benefits.