What the panel ordered
Petition for Reconsideration dismissed; matter returned to trial level for further proceedings consistent with the opinion.
Applicant filed a Petition for Reconsideration of the Order Approving Compromise and Release (OACR) issued by the WCJ on April 9, 2026, alleging fraud and errors, but the WCAB dismissed the Petition and returned the matter to the trial level for further proceedings.
What was disputed, and how it came out
Each issue the panel decided, with the reasoning it gave. An outcome is what this panel did on this record — not a rule, and not a prediction.
The petition for reconsideration was dismissed as premature because the WCJ had not yet conducted a hearing or rescinded the OACR within the 15-day period after the petition was filed, and the matter was returned to the trial level for further proceedings.
From the decision · page 10In the absence of a record, we are unable to evaluate petitioner's contentions. Consequently, we dismiss the Petition for Reconsideration as premature and return the matter to the WCJ for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. We direct the parties and the WCJ to the en banc decision in Gaines for guidance with respect to approval of C&Rs that both WCJs and parties must follow. Upon return of this matter to the trial level, the WCJ may treat the Petition as a petition to set aside the OACR, conduct further proceedings, and create a record as to whether there are grounds for setting aside the OACR. After the WCJ issues a decision, any aggrieved party may timely seek reconsideration.