En Banc WCAB Says Service Providers Can't Dodge Lien Fees

The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board, sitting en banc, on Tuesday clarified that a claim for medical-legal expenses may not be filed as a petition for costs − eliminating a strategy that some defense attorneys said could be used to avoid lien fees.The WCAB said in Martinez v. Terrazas, No. ADJ7613459, that medical-legal service providers cannot avoid the lien-filing and activation fees imposed by Senate Bill 863 by filing petitions for costs.WorkCompCentral reported last month that some attorneys had begun filing petitions for costs to resolve disputes over copy service and interp...