DWC Revises Form-045 to Allow Requests for Contested Case Hearings

The Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation has revised DWC Form-045, which is used to schedule, reschedule or cancel a benefit review conference, the division announced Wednesday. The DWC said the revisions allow parties to use the form for an additional purpose, which is to file a request to proceed directly to a contested case hearing under Labor Code Section 410.024. “Generally, parties are required to participate in a BRC prior to requesting a CCH,” DWC Associate General Council Emily McCoy explained in a memorandum. “However, under §142.5(b), parties may pr...