Opinion ID: 2199933
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Compensability of Claims and Other Limited Issues

Text: We now address the question whether the Board may enter an enforceable and appealable order determining a claim to be compensable under the Act. This question is not readily resolved by reference to the statute alone. We find nothing in the language of the Act that either demands or rebuts the conclusion that an abstract issue of compensability can be resolved by the Board. Such a decision by the Board presumably would require that the Board resolve subsidiary issues such as whether the injury was work-related, whether the applicant was a covered employee, etc. However, it appears that the additional qualification to the question that the decision be enforceable necessarily entails that some award has been entered. This could take several forms, including an award of specified medical treatment. If so, it becomes an award subject to the same analysis described above. If, however, the question contemplates a resolution of compensability of injuries resulting from a given accident without accompanying resolution of what remedial action (i.e. benefits, treatment, etc.) is appropriate, there is no award as contemplated by the statute, and nothing for a court to enforce pursuant to Ind.Code § 22-3-4-9. Similarly, there is no appealable order at that point because no one has been directed to reimburse (or declared to be without right to compensation for) any specific benefit. We find nothing in the statute to preclude the Board from ruling on issues such as whether the injury is work-related or whether the applicant is a covered employee, if it wishes to do so. However, until that ruling becomes the predicate of an award, there is no enforceable or appealable order. We are uncertain what other limited issues may be contemplated by the question. The foregoing analysis hopefully provides some guidance.