ADJ8454101

This case involves a California Highway Patrol Officer, Joshua Desmarais, who sustained an industrial injury to his back while employed. The California Highway Patrol was legally uninsured and administered by the State Compensation Insurance Fund. The Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board granted reconsideration of the January 29, 2014 Findings of Fact and Order and issued their own decision finding that the applicant’s appeal of the July 12, 2013 Utilization Review denial of spinal surgery was denied. The Board found that the Utilization Review decision was timely and that the issue of the validity of the UR physician’s signature was not sufficient to invalidate the UR determination and allow the WCAB to determine the medical necessity of the proposed surgery.

This case involves a petition for reconsideration filed by defendant with regard to a decision filed on January 29, 2014. The Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board granted the petition for reconsideration in order to allow sufficient opportunity to further study the factual and legal issues in the case. All further correspondence, objections, motions, requests and communications must be filed in writing with the Office of the Commissioners of the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board.