Rossa v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Board

OPINION

JUSTICE LAMB.

In this appeal we are asked to answer the following questions: does a Workers’ Compensation Judge (WCJ) have the authority to determine paternity in a proceeding under the Workers’ Compensation Act1 (Act) and, if so, what evidentiary standard must be met in order to prove paternity?2 For the reasons that follow, we hold that a WCJ does have the authority to determine paternity, not for all purposes, but for purposes of determining the eligibility of a child for benefits and that such eligibility must be established by a preponderance of the evidence. Because Appellee…