CLAIMANT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CROSS EXAMINE THE CONSULTANTS WHOSE REPORTS WERE THE BASIS FOR THE DENIAL OF CLAIMANT’S REQUEST FOR SURGERY (THIRD DEPT).

The Third Department, reversing (modifying) the Workers’ Compensation Board, determined claimant should be afforded the opportunity to cross-examine the consultants (Cash and Storrs) whose reports were the basis for the denial of claimant’s request for surgery:

The … request for surgery was not made until after the WCLJ [Workers’ Compensation Law Judge] ordered [the] depositions, but was nevertheless considered by the WCLJ, who upheld the denial even though claimant did not have any opportunity to submit contradictory medical evidence or cross-examine the carrier’s consultants. Matter of Ozoria v Advantage Mgt. Assn., 2021 NY Slip Op 03090, Third Dept 5-13-21