3rd DCA Joins 2nd DCA in Treating Untimely IMR Decisions as Valid

A second California appellate court has ruled that an independent medical review determination that is not issued within the 30-day window allotted by the Labor Code is still valid and binding. Labor Code Section 4610.6(d) expressly provides that an IMR decision "shall" be issued within 30 days of the date that the IMR reviewer gets a request for review, as well as all the supporting documentation. Last June, the 2nd District Court of Appeal issued a decision in California Highway Patrol v. WCAB (Margaris), which found this time limit was "merely direc...