What is a workers' comp hearing, and when might I need to attend one?
Answer
Your lawyer will tell you if you need to attend a workers’ comp hearing when one is scheduled. In many cases, you may not need to be present—though you are always welcome and entitled to attend. If your attorney instructs you to go, you can expect a typical courtroom setting with a judge presiding. In Rhode Island, this proceeding is called a pretrial conference or pretrial hearing. It is informal in nature: there is no court reporter, no sworn testimony, and no formal evidence presented. Instead, there is discussion, legal argument, and sometimes direct conversation with the judge. To better understand the process, you may find it helpful to review what happens when someone must address the judge or how to properly prepare for a hearing.
Although the setting is informal, legal disagreements and factual disputes can still arise. The purpose of the pretrial conference is for the judge to make a prompt ruling—often during the hearing itself—on the petition being presented. If it is your original petition for workers’ compensation benefits, your presence is especially important because the judge will decide whether you are entitled to benefits. For smaller issues, such as payment of medical bills or procedural approvals, the hearing may be brief. For additional guidance, you can consult our RI workers comp lawyers or explore our Rhode Island workers compensation lawyers to better understand when hearings occur and what they involve.
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