What Constitutes A Medical/Legal (M/L) Report?
8 CCR § 9793 provides the definitions for issues dealing with the M/L report.
Briefly, only a contested claim or a medical issue in dispute qualifies for a M/L
report. All other issues needing a medical report do not rise to the status of a M/L
report.
A contested claim is one where;
• liability is rejected,
• presumption of compensability under LC § 5402 (90-day presumption),
• there is a failure to respond to a demand for payment of compensation
including defendant's failure to issue notice of delay within 14 days of
employer's date of knowledge pursuant to LC § 4650, or
• a disputed medical fact.
A disputed medical fact contests
• a medical condition
• need for treatment
• cause of a medical condition
• nature and extent of permanent disability
• QIW status
If the medical evaluation does not fit the above criteria, it is not a M/L report
8 CCR § 9793. Definitions
As used in this article:
(a) "Claim" means a claim for compensation as evidenced by either the filing of a claim form pursuant to Section 5401
of the Labor Code or notice or knowledge of an injury under Section 5400 or 5402 of the Labor Code.
(b) "Contested claim" means any of the following:
(1) Where the claims administrator has rejected liability for a claimed benefit.
(2) Where the claims administrator has failed to accept liability for a claim and the claim has become presumptively
compensable under Section 5402 of the Labor Code.
(3) Where the claims administrator has failed to respond to a demand for the payment of compensation after the
expiration of any time period fixed by statute for the payment of indemnity benefits, including where the claims
administrator has failed to either commence the payment of temporary disability indemnity or issue a notice of delay
within 14 days after knowledge of an employee's injury and disability as provided in Section 4650 of the Labor Code.
(4) Where the claims administrator has accepted liability for a claim and a disputed medical fact exists.
(c) "Comprehensive medical-legal evaluation" means an evaluation of an employee which (A) results in the preparation
of a narrative medical report prepared and attested to in accordance with Section 4628 of the Labor Code, any
applicable procedures promulgated under Section 139.2 of the Labor Code, and the requirements of Section 10606 and
(B) is either:
(1) performed by a Qualified Medical Evaluator pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 139.2 of the Labor Code, or
(2) performed by a Qualified Medical Evaluator, Agreed Medical Evaluator, or the primary treating physician for the
purpose of proving or disproving a contested claim, and which meets the requirements of paragraphs (1) through (5),
inclusive, of subdivision (g).
(d) "Claims Administrator" means a self-administered insurer providing security for the payment of compensation
required by Divisions 4 and 4.5 of the Labor Code, a self-administered self-insured employer, a group self-insurer, or a
third-party claims administrator for a self-insured employer, insurer, legally uninsured employer, group self-insurer, or
joint powers authority.
(e) "Disputed medical fact" means an issue in dispute, including an objection to a medical determination made by a
treating physician under Section 4062 of the Labor Code, concerning (1) the employee's medical condition, (2) the
cause of the employee's medical condition, (3) treatment for the employee's medical condition, (4) the existence, nature,
duration or extent of temporary or permanent disability caused by the employee's medical condition, or (5) the
employee's medical eligibility for rehabilitation services.
(f) "Follow-up medical-legal evaluation" means an evaluation which includes an examination of an employee which (A)
results in the preparation of a narrative medical report prepared and attested to in accordance with Section 4628 of the
Labor Code, any applicable procedures promulgated under Section 139.2 of the Labor Code, and the requirements of
Section 10606, (B) is performed by a qualified medical evaluator, agreed medical evaluator, or primary treating
physician within nine months following the evaluator's examination of the employee in a comprehensive medical-legal
evaluation and (C) involves an evaluation of the same injury or injuries evaluated in the comprehensive medical- legal
evaluation.
(g) "Medical-legal expense" means any costs or expenses incurred by or on behalf of any party or parties, the
administrative director, or the appeals board for X-rays, laboratory fees, other diagnostic tests, medical reports,
medical records, medical testimony, and as needed, interpreter's fees, for the purpose of proving or disproving a
contested claim. The cost of medical evaluations, diagnostic tests, and interpreters is not a medical-legal expense unless
it is incidental to the production of a comprehensive medical-legal evaluation report, follow-up medical-legal evaluation
report, or a supplemental medical-legal evaluation report and all of the following conditions exist:
(1) The report is prepared by a physician, as defined in Section 3209.3 of the Labor Code.
(2) The report is obtained at the request of a party or parties, the administrative director, or the appeals board for the
purpose of proving or disproving a contested claim and addresses the disputed medical fact or facts specified by the
party, or parties or other person who requested the comprehensive medical-legal evaluation report. Nothing in this
paragraph shall be construed to prohibit a physician from addressing additional related medical issues.
(3) The report is capable of proving or disproving a disputed medical fact essential to the resolution of a contested
claim, considering the substance as well as the form of the report, as required by applicable statutes, regulations, and
case law.
(4) The medical-legal examination is performed prior to receipt of notice by the physician, the employee, or the
employee's attorney, that the disputed medical fact or facts for which the report was requested have been resolved.
(5) In the event the comprehensive medical-legal evaluation is served on the claims administrator after the disputed
medical fact or facts for which the report was requested have been resolved, the report is served within the time frame
specified in Section 139.2(j)(1) of the Labor Code.
(h) "Medical-legal testimony" means expert testimony provided by a physician at a deposition or workers'
compensation appeals board hearing, regarding the medical opinion submitted by the physician.
(i) "Medical research" is the investigation of medical issues. It includes investigating and reading medical and scientific
journals and texts. "Medical research" does not include reading or reading about the Guides for the Evaluation of
Permanent Impairment (any edition), treatment guidelines (including guidelines of the American College of
Occupational and Environmental Medicine), the Labor Code, regulations or publications of the Division of Workers'
Compensation (including the Physicians' Guide), or other legal materials.
(j) "Primary treating physician" is the treating physician primarily responsible for managing the care of the injured
worker in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 9785.
(k) "Reports and documents required by the administrative director" means an itemized billing, a copy of the medical-
legal evaluation report, and any verification required under Section 9795(c).
(l) "Supplemental medical-legal evaluation" means an evaluation which (A) does not involve an examination of the
patient, (B) is based on the physician's review of records, test results or other medically relevant information which
was not available to the physician at the time of the initial examination, (C) results in the preparation of a narrative
medical report prepared and attested to in accordance with Section 4628 of the Labor Code, any applicable procedures
promulgated under Section 139.2 of the Labor Code, and the requirements of Section 10606 and (D) is performed by a
qualified medical evaluator, agreed medical evaluator, or primary treating physician following the evaluator's
completion of a comprehensive medical-legal evaluation.
8 CCR § 9793 provides the definitions for issues dealing with the M/L report.
Briefly, only a contested claim or a medical issue in dispute qualifies for a M/L
report. All other issues needing a medical report do not rise to the status of a M/L
report.
A contested claim is one where;
• liability is rejected,
• presumption of compensability under LC § 5402 (90-day presumption),
• there is a failure to respond to a demand for payment of compensation
including defendant's failure to issue notice of delay within 14 days of
employer's date of knowledge pursuant to LC § 4650, or
• a disputed medical fact.
A disputed medical fact contests
• a medical condition
• need for treatment
• cause of a medical condition
• nature and extent of permanent disability
• QIW status
If the medical evaluation does not fit the above criteria, it is not a M/L report
8 CCR § 9793. Definitions
As used in this article:
(a) "Claim" means a claim for compensation as evidenced by either the filing of a claim form pursuant to Section 5401
of the Labor Code or notice or knowledge of an injury under Section 5400 or 5402 of the Labor Code.
(b) "Contested claim" means any of the following:
(1) Where the claims administrator has rejected liability for a claimed benefit.
(2) Where the claims administrator has failed to accept liability for a claim and the claim has become presumptively
compensable under Section 5402 of the Labor Code.
(3) Where the claims administrator has failed to respond to a demand for the payment of compensation after the
expiration of any time period fixed by statute for the payment of indemnity benefits, including where the claims
administrator has failed to either commence the payment of temporary disability indemnity or issue a notice of delay
within 14 days after knowledge of an employee's injury and disability as provided in Section 4650 of the Labor Code.
(4) Where the claims administrator has accepted liability for a claim and a disputed medical fact exists.
(c) "Comprehensive medical-legal evaluation" means an evaluation of an employee which (A) results in the preparation
of a narrative medical report prepared and attested to in accordance with Section 4628 of the Labor Code, any
applicable procedures promulgated under Section 139.2 of the Labor Code, and the requirements of Section 10606 and
(B) is either:
(1) performed by a Qualified Medical Evaluator pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 139.2 of the Labor Code, or
(2) performed by a Qualified Medical Evaluator, Agreed Medical Evaluator, or the primary treating physician for the
purpose of proving or disproving a contested claim, and which meets the requirements of paragraphs (1) through (5),
inclusive, of subdivision (g).
(d) "Claims Administrator" means a self-administered insurer providing security for the payment of compensation
required by Divisions 4 and 4.5 of the Labor Code, a self-administered self-insured employer, a group self-insurer, or a
third-party claims administrator for a self-insured employer, insurer, legally uninsured employer, group self-insurer, or
joint powers authority.
(e) "Disputed medical fact" means an issue in dispute, including an objection to a medical determination made by a
treating physician under Section 4062 of the Labor Code, concerning (1) the employee's medical condition, (2) the
cause of the employee's medical condition, (3) treatment for the employee's medical condition, (4) the existence, nature,
duration or extent of temporary or permanent disability caused by the employee's medical condition, or (5) the
employee's medical eligibility for rehabilitation services.
(f) "Follow-up medical-legal evaluation" means an evaluation which includes an examination of an employee which (A)
results in the preparation of a narrative medical report prepared and attested to in accordance with Section 4628 of the
Labor Code, any applicable procedures promulgated under Section 139.2 of the Labor Code, and the requirements of
Section 10606, (B) is performed by a qualified medical evaluator, agreed medical evaluator, or primary treating
physician within nine months following the evaluator's examination of the employee in a comprehensive medical-legal
evaluation and (C) involves an evaluation of the same injury or injuries evaluated in the comprehensive medical- legal
evaluation.
(g) "Medical-legal expense" means any costs or expenses incurred by or on behalf of any party or parties, the
administrative director, or the appeals board for X-rays, laboratory fees, other diagnostic tests, medical reports,
medical records, medical testimony, and as needed, interpreter's fees, for the purpose of proving or disproving a
contested claim. The cost of medical evaluations, diagnostic tests, and interpreters is not a medical-legal expense unless
it is incidental to the production of a comprehensive medical-legal evaluation report, follow-up medical-legal evaluation
report, or a supplemental medical-legal evaluation report and all of the following conditions exist:
(1) The report is prepared by a physician, as defined in Section 3209.3 of the Labor Code.
(2) The report is obtained at the request of a party or parties, the administrative director, or the appeals board for the
purpose of proving or disproving a contested claim and addresses the disputed medical fact or facts specified by the
party, or parties or other person who requested the comprehensive medical-legal evaluation report. Nothing in this
paragraph shall be construed to prohibit a physician from addressing additional related medical issues.
(3) The report is capable of proving or disproving a disputed medical fact essential to the resolution of a contested
claim, considering the substance as well as the form of the report, as required by applicable statutes, regulations, and
case law.
(4) The medical-legal examination is performed prior to receipt of notice by the physician, the employee, or the
employee's attorney, that the disputed medical fact or facts for which the report was requested have been resolved.
(5) In the event the comprehensive medical-legal evaluation is served on the claims administrator after the disputed
medical fact or facts for which the report was requested have been resolved, the report is served within the time frame
specified in Section 139.2(j)(1) of the Labor Code.
(h) "Medical-legal testimony" means expert testimony provided by a physician at a deposition or workers'
compensation appeals board hearing, regarding the medical opinion submitted by the physician.
(i) "Medical research" is the investigation of medical issues. It includes investigating and reading medical and scientific
journals and texts. "Medical research" does not include reading or reading about the Guides for the Evaluation of
Permanent Impairment (any edition), treatment guidelines (including guidelines of the American College of
Occupational and Environmental Medicine), the Labor Code, regulations or publications of the Division of Workers'
Compensation (including the Physicians' Guide), or other legal materials.
(j) "Primary treating physician" is the treating physician primarily responsible for managing the care of the injured
worker in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 9785.
(k) "Reports and documents required by the administrative director" means an itemized billing, a copy of the medical-
legal evaluation report, and any verification required under Section 9795(c).
(l) "Supplemental medical-legal evaluation" means an evaluation which (A) does not involve an examination of the
patient, (B) is based on the physician's review of records, test results or other medically relevant information which
was not available to the physician at the time of the initial examination, (C) results in the preparation of a narrative
medical report prepared and attested to in accordance with Section 4628 of the Labor Code, any applicable procedures
promulgated under Section 139.2 of the Labor Code, and the requirements of Section 10606 and (D) is performed by a
qualified medical evaluator, agreed medical evaluator, or primary treating physician following the evaluator's
completion of a comprehensive medical-legal evaluation.
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