1. The hearing officer shall:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2 of NRS 616C.315, within 5 days after receiving a request for a hearing, set the hearing for a date and time within 30 days after his or her receipt of the request at a place in Carson City, Nevada, or Las Vegas, Nevada, or upon agreement of one or more of the parties to pay all additional costs directly related to an alternative location, at any other place of convenience to the parties, at the discretion of the hearing officer;
(b) Give notice by mail or by personal service to all interested parties to the hearing at least 15 days before the date and time scheduled; and
(c) Conduct hearings expeditiously and informally.
2. The notice must include a statement that the injured employee may be represented by a private attorney or seek assistance and advice from the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers.
3. If necessary to resolve a medical question concerning an injured employee’s condition or to determine the necessity of treatment for which authorization for payment has been denied, the hearing officer may order an independent medical examination, which must not involve treatment, and refer the employee to a physician or chiropractor of his or her choice who has demonstrated special competence to treat the particular medical condition of the employee, whether or not the physician or chiropractor is on the insurer’s panel of providers of health care. If the medical question concerns the rating of a permanent disability, the hearing officer may refer the employee to a rating physician or chiropractor. The rating physician or chiropractor must be selected in rotation from the list of qualified physicians and chiropractors maintained by the Administrator pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 616C.490, unless the insurer and injured employee otherwise agree to a rating physician or chiropractor. The insurer shall pay the costs of any medical examination requested by the hearing officer.
4. The hearing officer may consider the opinion of an examining physician, chiropractor, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse, in addition to the opinion of an authorized treating physician, chiropractor, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse, in determining the compensation payable to the injured employee.
5. If an injured employee has requested payment for the cost of obtaining a second determination of his or her percentage of disability pursuant to NRS 616C.100, the hearing officer shall decide whether the determination of the higher percentage of disability made pursuant to NRS 616C.100 is appropriate and, if so, may order the insurer to pay to the employee an amount equal to the maximum allowable fee established by the Administrator pursuant to NRS 616C.260 for the type of service performed, or the usual fee of that physician or chiropractor for such service, whichever is less.
6. The hearing officer shall order an insurer, organization for managed care or employer who provides accident benefits for injured employees pursuant to NRS 616C.265 to pay to the appropriate person the charges of a provider of health care if the conditions of NRS 616C.138 are satisfied.
7. The hearing officer may allow or forbid the presence of a court reporter and the use of a tape recorder in a hearing.
8. The hearing officer shall render his or her decision within 15 days after:
(a) The hearing; or
(b) The hearing officer receives a copy of the report from the medical examination the hearing officer requested.
9. The hearing officer shall render a decision in the most efficient format developed by the Chief of the Hearings Division of the Department of Administration.
10. The hearing officer shall give notice of the decision to each party by mail. The hearing officer shall include with the notice of the decision the necessary forms for appealing from the decision.
11. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 616C.380, the decision of the hearing officer is not stayed if an appeal from that decision is taken unless an application for a stay is submitted by a party. If such an application is submitted, the decision is automatically stayed until a determination is made on the application. A determination on the application must be made within 30 days after the filing of the application. If, after reviewing the application, a stay is not granted by the hearing officer or an appeals officer, the decision must be complied with within 10 days after the refusal to grant a stay.
12. References to a physician assistant and an advanced practice registered nurse in this section are for the purposes of the examination and treatment of an injured employee which are authorized to be provided by a physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse in the exclusive context of an initial examination and treatment pursuant to NRS 616C.010.
(Added to NRS by 1979, 1040; A 1983, 645; 1985, 669, 864, 1547; 1991, 835, 2418; 1993, 738; 1995, 2150; 1999, 1785, 2217; 2001, 115, 1895; 2003, 2333, 2808; 2005, 238, 1267; 2007, 3352; 2009, 3033; 2021, 1187)
1. The hearing officer shall:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2 of NRS 616C.315, within 5 days after receiving a request for a hearing, set the hearing for a date and time within 30 days after his or her receipt of the request at a place in Carson City, Nevada, or Las Vegas, Nevada, or upon agreement of one or more of the parties to pay all additional costs directly related to an alternative location, at any other place of convenience to the parties, at the discretion of the hearing officer;
(b) Give notice by mail or by personal service to all interested parties to the hearing at least 15 days before the date and time scheduled; and
(c) Conduct hearings expeditiously and informally.
2. The notice must include a statement that the injured employee may be represented by a private attorney or seek assistance and advice from the Nevada Attorney for Injured Workers.
3. If necessary to resolve a medical question concerning an injured employee’s condition or to determine the necessity of treatment for which authorization for payment has been denied, the hearing officer may order an independent medical examination, which must not involve treatment, and refer the employee to a physician or chiropractic physician of his or her choice who has demonstrated special competence to treat the particular medical condition of the employee, whether or not the physician or chiropractic physician is on the insurer’s panel of providers of health care. If the medical question concerns the rating of a permanent disability, the hearing officer may refer the employee to a rating physician or chiropractic physician. The rating physician or chiropractic physician must be selected in rotation from the list of qualified physicians and chiropractic physicians maintained by the Administrator pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 616C.490, unless the insurer and injured employee otherwise agree to a rating physician or chiropractic physician. The insurer shall pay the costs of any medical examination requested by the hearing officer.
4. The hearing officer may consider the opinion of an examining physician, chiropractic physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse, in addition to the opinion of an authorized treating physician, chiropractic physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse, in determining the compensation payable to the injured employee.
5. If an injured employee has requested payment for the cost of obtaining a second determination of his or her percentage of disability pursuant to NRS 616C.100, the hearing officer shall decide whether the determination of the higher percentage of disability made pursuant to NRS 616C.100 is appropriate and, if so, may order the insurer to pay to the employee an amount equal to the maximum allowable fee established by the Administrator pursuant to NRS 616C.260 for the type of service performed, or the usual fee of that physician or chiropractic physician for such service, whichever is less.
6. The hearing officer shall order an insurer, organization for managed care or employer who provides accident benefits for injured employees pursuant to NRS 616C.265 to pay to the appropriate person the charges of a provider of health care if the conditions of NRS 616C.138 are satisfied.
7. The hearing officer may allow or forbid the presence of a court reporter and the use of a tape recorder in a hearing.
8. The hearing officer shall render his or her decision within 15 days after:
(a) The hearing; or
(b) The hearing officer receives a copy of the report from the medical examination the hearing officer requested.
9. The hearing officer shall render a decision in the most efficient format developed by the Chief of the Hearings Division of the Department of Administration.
10. The hearing officer shall give notice of the decision to each party by mail. The hearing officer shall include with the notice of the decision the necessary forms for appealing from the decision.
11. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 616C.380, the decision of the hearing officer is not stayed if an appeal from that decision is taken unless an application for a stay is submitted by a party. If such an application is submitted, the decision is automatically stayed until a determination is made on the application. A determination on the application must be made within 30 days after the filing of the application. If, after reviewing the application, a stay is not granted by the hearing officer or an appeals officer, the decision must be complied with within 10 days after the refusal to grant a stay.
12. References to a physician assistant and an advanced practice registered nurse in this section are for the purposes of the examination and treatment of an injured employee which are authorized to be provided by a physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse in the exclusive context of an initial examination and treatment pursuant to NRS 616C.010.
(Added to NRS by 1979, 1040; A 1983, 645; 1985, 669, 864, 1547; 1991, 835, 2418; 1993, 738; 1995, 2150; 1999, 1785, 2217; 2001, 115, 1895; 2003, 2333, 2808; 2005, 238, 1267; 2007, 3352; 2009, 3033; 2021, 534, 1187, effective January 1, 2022)
Structure Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 616C - Industrial Insurance: Benefits for Injuries or Death
NRS 616C.035 - Application for death benefit.
NRS 616C.085 - Duties of employer when employee injured: First aid; reimbursement.
NRS 616C.115 - Prescription of generic drugs required; exceptions.
NRS 616C.117 - Prescription of drugs dispensed directly to injured employee; limitations.
NRS 616C.120 - Employee may elect treatment through prayer in lieu of medical treatment.
NRS 616C.185 - Compensation for mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.
NRS 616C.190 - Compensation of employee injured out of State.
NRS 616C.210 - Compensation of nonresident alien dependents; notification of dependent required.
NRS 616C.300 - Hearing officers: Appointment; salary; disqualification from particular case.
NRS 616C.370 - Judicial review.
NRS 616C.375 - Stay of decision of appeals officer.
NRS 616C.380 - Payment pending appeal when decision not stayed; effect of final resolution of claim.
NRS 616C.385 - Costs and attorney’s fees for frivolous petitions for judicial review.
NRS 616C.400 - Minimum duration of incapacity; exceptions.
NRS 616C.405 - Limitations on benefits received by employee.
NRS 616C.408 - Restrictive endorsements on checks issued by insurers.
NRS 616C.409 - Direct deposit of compensation.
NRS 616C.410 - Prohibition of settlements paid in lump sum; exceptions.
NRS 616C.415 - Written explanation of alternative settlements to be given to employee or dependents.
NRS 616C.420 - Method of determining average monthly wage.
NRS 616C.425 - Date of determination of amount of compensation and benefits.
NRS 616C.435 - Injuries deemed total and permanent.
NRS 616C.455 - Increase in benefits for permanent total disability incurred before April 9, 1971.
NRS 616C.473 - Annual increase in benefits for permanent total disability.
NRS 616C.485 - Permanent partial disability: Loss of or permanent damage to teeth.
NRS 616C.495 - Permanent partial disability: Payments in lump sum.
NRS 616C.505 - Amount and duration of compensation.
NRS 616C.508 - Annual increase in death benefits.
NRS 616C.510 - Increased death benefits if injury or disablement occurred before July 1, 1973.
NRS 616C.520 - Increased death benefits if injury or disablement occurred on or after July 1, 1973.
NRS 616C.530 - Priorities for returning injured employee to work.
NRS 616C.541 - Appointment of vocational rehabilitation counselor.
NRS 616C.543 - Prohibited acts of vocational rehabilitation counselor.
NRS 616C.547 - General duties of vocational rehabilitation counselor.
NRS 616C.560 - Extension of program for vocational rehabilitation.
NRS 616C.570 - On-the-job training as component of plan for program of vocational rehabilitation.
NRS 616C.575 - Payment of vocational rehabilitation maintenance.
NRS 616C.580 - Provision of services outside of State; limited lump-sum payment in lieu of services.
NRS 616C.585 - Limit on goods and services which may be provided; exceptions.
NRS 616C.700 - Duties of insurer who accepts a claim for catastrophic injury; life care plan.
NRS 616C.710 - Rescission or revision of determination of catastrophic injury.
NRS 616C.720 - Requirements for adjuster who administers claim for catastrophic injury.