125-160-0200 Claiming Benefits (1) Only a person to whom a payment or benefit is directly due under these rules may claim the benefit. A potential beneficiary may not join or intervene in an inmate’s claim. Only the claimant’s attorney may represent a claimant. No one may intervene in any claim except the legal representative of an incompetent claimant. The Department shall not pay the costs of a claimant’s legal representation. (2) The Department may require that all claims for benefits or payments be or include: (a) In the form or formats which the Department may from time to time prescribe. The Department may supply a form or format requirement upon request or exclusively through Corrections, as Department and Corrections may deem reasonable. (b) Any information that Department deems likely to bear on the qualification or disqualification for benefits under these rules and related law. Department may require certified copies of any records. (c) Claimant’s signed request for release to Department of all records by all parties. Claimant shall also sign any additional request for release of records that the Department shall require. Claimant’s failure to adequately request and authorize the release of any record, or to provide the record within 30 days, shall be sufficient cause for the Department to permanently deny the claim. (d) A signed statement by the claimant attesting to the truth of all the information provided. (3) A claim or request that does not conform to the requirements of these rules shall be invalid and have no effect whatsoever. To be valid and effective, a claim must be: (a) Received by Department within the time limits set by these rules. (b) On the forms or in the formats prescribed by the Department. (c) Completely filled out and accompanied by all required attachments or information. (d) Signed by the claimant to whom any benefit would be rendered. (4) The following claims shall be filed within the times and conditions noted: (a) Inmate’s initial claim for a covered injury shall be received within 90 days after the date of injury. (b) Claimant’s request for reaffirmation of initial estimate shall be received between 60 days prior to release and 180 days after release. It shall identify the claim, claimant, and initial estimate. It shall provide the claimant’s expected or actual release date, post-release residence and mailing addresses, and all other information requisite to the payment of benefits. Upon verifying the validity of the request, Department shall commence the payments in its initial estimate as provided by these rules. Department shall defer payments for investigation if it has reason to believe claimant is no longer disabled as estimated. (c) Claimant’s request for modification of initial estimate shall be received between 60 days prior to release and 180 days after release. A request for modification of an initial estimate is commenced when claimant notifies Department that claimant intends to seek a re-evaluation of the disability rating by the attending physician. Department shall give its notice of approval for re-evaluation to claimant and attending physician. The physician shall then have 60 days to re-evaluate the claimant, including the review of any advisory or consulting physician’s reports. The attending physician shall report to Department the extent and explanation of any change in the disability rating due to the covered injury and no other cause. Department shall treat the attending physician’s current report as required by these rules, making appropriate increase or decrease from its initial estimate of permanent disability benefits and commencing payment. (d) Claimant’s request for Department approval of attending physician shall be received shortly before, or not later than two weeks after, release and before the physician’s services commence. Only a claimant whom Corrections medical staff finds not to be medically stationary at time of release shall make this request. (e) Claim for burial benefit shall be received within 90 days after claimant’s covered death. It shall be made only by the legal representative of the estate. (f) Initial claim for death benefit shall be received within 90 days after claimant’s covered death. Request to start deferred death benefit payments shall be received between 60 days prior, and 180 days after, the date the benefits may start under these rules. (g) Claim for payment from a medical provider to be paid under these rules shall be received within 90 days of the qualifying service provided. (h) Claim for any other approval, right, award, payment, or benefit permitted under these rules shall be received within 30 days after the date that the thing claimed accrues or becomes payable or eligible to request. (5) To reduce paperwork, the Department may combine any of the claims, responses, or steps for determining any claim, initial estimate, final award, and death benefits. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 184.340, 278.405, 655.520 & 655.555 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 655.505 - 655.555 History: DASII 2-1996, f. & cert. ef. 3-26-96 DASII 2-1995(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 9-28-95