3rd DCA Accepts Review of Constitutional Challenge to IMR

The California 3rd District Court of Appeals has agreed to hear a constitutional challenge to the independent medical-review process mandated by Senate Bill 863. Ramirez v. WCAB (SCIF), No. C078440, joins a case already pending at the 1st DCA called Stevens v. WCAB (Outspoken Entertainment), No. A143043, which also seeks to have the controversial procedure for determining issues of medical necessity declared invalid. The stakes are high, as the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board has said IMR is the sole avenue for review of timely-issued utilization-review decisions. Last week, a board ...