PAUL CORRADO vs. AQUAFINE CORPORATION, ACE AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) dismissed the defendant's petition for reconsideration because the order sought to be reconsidered was interlocutory, not a final determination. The WCAB granted the defendant's petition for removal, rescinded the judge's order for a new Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) panel, and returned the case for further proceedings. This decision clarifies that while a QME's untimely supplemental report may be grounds for replacement, it does not automatically mandate it under Labor Code § 4062.5, requiring the judge to exercise discretion based on specific factors. The WCAB emphasized the importance of timely dispute resolution and that a late supplemental report alone is insufficient to order a new QME without considering other elements of prejudice and good cause.