In Gonzalez v. Thang Vi Duong, Inc., 2014 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS --, a WCAB panel denied the lien claimants' petition for removal and affirmed the WCJ's discovery orders requiring the lien claimants, i.e., Med Rx Funding and Pharma Finance, compound pharmacies owned by the same individuals whose liens in questions were purchased by an accounts receivable company, Landmark Medical Management, to produce documents representing the contracts between the lien claimants and certain health care providers, which contracts the lien claimants had alleged were protected by the "trade secret" privilege...read more.

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In Reis v. Silvas Oil Company, Inc., 2014 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS --, a WCAB panel granted the defendant's petition for removal and rescinded the WCJ's order requiring the defendant's claims adjuster to appear at an expedited hearing on the issue of a 12/10/2013 utilization review determination that did not certify the applicant's carpal tunnel surgery request. Here, the WCAB found no good cause to force the claims adjuster to travel from the insurance company's office in Portland, Oregon to testify in Fresno, California, because there was no indication, based on the facts in this case, that the claims adjuster had any knowledge regarding the issue of whether the utilization review denial was justified. The WCAB further found that requiring the claims adjuster to appear would result in substantial prejudice and/or irreparable harm. Read the Reis noteworthy panel decision.