THE EMPLOYER’S REQUEST, AT THE HEARING, TO CROSS-EXAMINE CLAIMANT’S PHYSICIAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED; THE LANGUAGE IN THE RELEVANT REGULATION IS MANDATORY (THIRD DEPT). ​

The Court of Appeals, reversing the Appellate Division, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge Troutman, determined the Workers’ Compensation Law Judge (WCLJ) should have granted the employer’s request, made at the hearing, to cross-examine the claimant’s physician, who had submitted a report. The Court of Appeals noted that the relevant language in the regulation was mandatory (“shall”):

The rule at issue here provides that, if “the employer or its carrier or special fund desires to produce for cross-examination an attending physician whose report is on file, the referee shall grant an adjournment for such purpose” (12 NYCRR 300.10 [c] …). The mandatory nature of this language contrasts with the language used in the Board’s other rules governing adjournment of hearings, which afford referees discretion and create exceptions to otherwise mandatory rules. For example, if the employer fails to present evidence as directed by the Board, the referee “may adjourn the hearing” and, if the employer fails to present evidence on the adjourned date, the referee “shall proceed to make a decision unless” the referee finds “extraordinary circumstances” warranting “a further adjournment” … . Under the plain language of the rule, the employer properly exercised its rights by making its request at a hearing on the claim prior to the WCLJ’s ruling on the merits … . Matter of Lazalee v Wegman’s Food Mkts., Inc., 2023 NY Slip Op 06343, CtApp 12-12-23

Practice Point: In a Workers’ Compensation hearing, the employer’s request for an adjournment to cross-examine the claimant’s physician must be granted.