Attorney's Unsworn Statement Can Be Considered in Evaluating Timeliness of Hearing Request

A divided Oregon appellate court ruled that the Workers’ Compensation Board erred in rejecting unsworn statements by a party’s attorney as evidence in evaluating whether his client had timely made a request for a hearing. Case: In the Matter of Kopf, Nos. 1805132 and A174465, 09/14/2022, unpublished. Facts: Eric Kopf worked for the City of Sweet Home. He allegedly suffered injuries in May 2018 while removing a manhole cover. The city had workers’ compensation coverage with SAIF Corp., which denied liability for Kopf’s claim. Procedural history: Kopf’s attorney...