OAR 436-001-0019: Requests for Hearing

(1) A request for hearing on a matter within the director’s jurisdiction must be filed with the division no later than the filing deadline. Filing deadlines will not be extended except as provided in section (7) of this rule. (2) A request for hearing must be in writing. A party may use the division’s Form 2839, “Workers’ Compensation Division Request for Hearing,” available on the division’s website at http://wcd.oregon.gov/forms/Pages/forms.aspx. A request for hearing must include the following information, as applicable: (a) The name, address, and phone number of the party making the request; (b) Whether the party making the request is the worker, insurer, medical provider, employer, any other party, or an attorney on behalf of a party; (c) The number of the administrative order being appealed; (d) The worker’s name, address, and phone number; (e) The name, address, and phone number of the worker’s attorney, if any; (f) The date of injury; (g) The insurer’s or self-insured employer’s claim number; (h) The division’s file number; and (i) The reason for requesting a hearing. (3) Requests for hearing may be filed in any of the following ways: (a) By mail, to the following address: WCD Hearings Workers’ Compensation Division P.O. Box 14480 Salem, OR 97309-0405. (b) By hand-delivery, to the following address: WCD Hearings 350 Winter Street NE, 2nd floor Salem, OR 97301. (c) By fax, to 503-947-7511, if the document transmitted indicates that it has been delivered by fax, is sent to the correct fax number, and indicates the date the document was sent. (d) By email, to wcd.hearings@dcbs.oregon.gov. If the request for hearing is an attachment to the email, it must be in a format that Microsoft Word 2010® (.docx, .doc, .txt, .rtf) or Adobe Reader® (.pdf) can open. Image formats that can be viewed in Internet Explorer® (.tif, .jpg) are also acceptable. (e) By using the online form, available on the division’s website at https://wcd.oregon.gov/forms/pages/request-for-hearing.aspx. (4) The requesting party must send a copy of the request to all known parties and their legal representatives, if any. (5) Timeliness of requests for hearing will be determined under OAR 436-001-0027. (6) The director will refer timely requests for hearing to the board for a hearing before an administrative law judge. The director may withdraw a matter that has been referred if the matter is not appropriate for hearing at that time. (7) The director will deny requests for hearing that are filed after the filing deadline. The requesting party may request a limited hearing on the denial of the request for hearing within 30 days after the mailing date of the denial. The request must be filed with the division. At the limited hearing, the administrative law judge may consider only whether: (a) The denied request for hearing was filed timely; or (b) Good cause existed that prevented the party from timely requesting a hearing on the merits. For the purpose of this rule, “good cause” includes, but is not limited to, mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect.