Iowa Admin. Code r. 876-4.34 - Dismissal for lack of prosecution

It is the declared policy that in the exercise of reasonable diligence, all contested cases before the workers' compensation commissioner, except under unusual circumstances, shall be brought to issue and heard at the earliest possible time. To accomplish such purpose the workers' compensation commissioner may take the following action:

(1) Any contested case, where the original notice and petition is on file in excess of two years, may be subject to dismissal after the notice in 4.34(2) is sent to all parties and after the time as provided for in the notice.

(2) After the circumstances provided in 4.34(1) occur, all parties to the action, or their attorneys, shall be sent notice from the division of workers' compensation by certified mail containing the following:

a. The names of the parties;

b. The date or dates of injury involved in the contested case or appeal proceeding;

c. Counsel appearing;

d. Date of filing of the petition or appeal;

e. That the contested case proceeding will be dismissed without prejudice on the thirtieth day following the date of the notice unless good cause is shown why the contested case proceeding should not be dismissed.

(3) The action or actions dismissed may at the discretion of the workers' compensation commissioner and shall upon a showing that such dismissal was the result of oversight, mistake or other reasonable cause, be reinstated. Applications for such reinstatement, setting forth the grounds, shall be filed within three months from the date of dismissal.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 86.8, 17A.3(1) "b " and 86.18.

Notes

Iowa Admin. Code r. 876-4.34