ORS 656.295: Board review of Administrative Law Judge orders; application of standards for evaluation of disability.

(1) The request for review by the Workers’ Compensation Board of an order of an Administrative Law Judge need only state that the party requests a review of the order. (2) The requests for review shall be mailed to the board and copies of the request shall be mailed to all parties to the proceeding before the Administrative Law Judge. (3) When review has been requested, the record of such oral proceedings at the hearings before the Administrative Law Judge as may be necessary for purposes of the review shall be transcribed at the expense of the board. The original transcript shall be certified to be true, accurate and complete by the transcriber. A list of all exhibits received by the Administrative Law Judge shall be furnished to the parties in interest along with a copy of the transcribed record. (4) Notice of the review shall be given to the parties by mail. The board shall set a date for review as expeditiously as possible. Review shall be scheduled for a date not later than 90 days after receipt by the board of the request for review. Review shall not be postponed except in extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the requesting party. (5) The review by the board shall be based upon the record submitted to it under subsection (3) of this section and such oral or written argument as it may receive. Evaluation of the worker’s disability by the board shall be as of the date of issuance of the reconsideration order pursuant to ORS 656.268. Any finding of fact regarding the worker’s impairment must be established by medical evidence that is supported by objective findings. If the board finds that the claim has been closed prematurely, the board shall issue an order rescinding the notice of closure. The board shall apply to the review of the claim such standards for the evaluation of disability as may be adopted by the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services pursuant to ORS 656.726. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent or limit the right of a worker, insurer or self-insured employer to present evidence to establish by a preponderance of the evidence that the standards adopted pursuant to ORS 656.726 for evaluation of the worker’s permanent disability were incorrectly applied in the reconsideration order pursuant to ORS 656.268. However, if the board determines that a case has been improperly, incompletely or otherwise insufficiently developed or heard by the Administrative Law Judge, it may remand the case to the Administrative Law Judge for further evidence taking, correction or other necessary action. (6) The board may affirm, reverse, modify or supplement the order of the Administrative Law Judge and make such disposition of the case as it determines to be appropriate. It shall make its decision within 30 days after the review. (7) The order of the board shall be filed and a copy thereof sent by mail to the director and to the parties. (8) An order of the board is final unless within 30 days after the date of mailing of copies of such order to the parties, one of the parties appeals to the Court of Appeals for judicial review pursuant to ORS 656.298. The order shall contain a statement explaining the rights of the parties under this subsection and ORS 656.298. [1965 c.285 §35a; 1977 c.804 §10; 1987 c.884 §12; 1990 c.2 §22; 1991 c.293 §1; 1999 c.313 §8]