On May 5, 2016, two new Petition For Benefit Determination (PBD) forms should appear on our website.
As we approach the end of the second year of the workers’ compensation reform, we have completed a thorough evaluation of the PBD form. Based on feedback from participants in the system, we have made substantial changes. The new PBD is a more complete document that will gather more initial information from the employee about his or her claim. This will assist the mediator in understanding the issues and improve the chances of resolution at the mediation. Also, it will provide employers and employer’s counsel with a more complete factual background. This is all the more significant in light of the Appeals Board decision in Duck v. Cox Oil Company. We realize there might be unforeseen issues with the new form. However, we want to bring stability to the process. It is our intent that this will be the last revision of the PBD for quite a while.
You will also find a second PBD for settlement approvals only, which is fillable. To contribute toward saving the rainforest we have reduced this to one page. Please point this out to those in your office who draft settlement papers.
Our hope is that these two new forms will make the entire system operate more efficiently.
From the Bench 