Alvarez v. Workers' Compensation Appeals Board

Opinion

MOSK, J.

In a workers’ compensation proceeding for death benefits, a panel-qualified medical evaluator (Lab. Code, § 4062.2) 1 requested a copy of certain records in an ex parte telephone conversation with defense counsel. The claimant objected to the ex parte communication and petitioned, inter alla, for a new panel-qualified medical evaluator under section 4062.3, subdivision (f), which prohibits ex parte communications between a party and a panel-qualified medical evaluator and, in the event of a violation, allows the other party to seek a new panel-qualified medical evaluator from…