Mississippi Workers Compensation Accidents and Injuries – Do Excuses Matter If You Miss An Appeal Deadline?

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Mississippi Workers Compensation Accidents and Injuries – Do Excuses Matter If You Miss An Appeal Deadline?

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Mississippi Workers Compensation Accidents and Injuries – Do Excuses Matter If You Miss An Appeal Deadline?

by Jay Foster, Mississippi Worker’s Compensation Lawyer

As we have discussed previously on our website, Section 71-3-47 of the Mississippi Code states that the decision of the Administrative Law Judge “shall be final unless within twenty (20) days a request or petition for review by the full commission is filed.”

Additionally, Procedural Rule 10 of the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission states, in part, “[i]n all cases where either party desires a review before the Full Commission from any decision rendered by an Administrative Judge, the party desiring the review shall within twenty (20) days of the date of said decision file . . . a written request . . . for review before the Full Commission.” We must follow Section 71-3-47 as compliance with the section is required in order for the Mississippi Worker’s Compensation Commission to have jurisdiction. Williams v. Furniture Land, 637 So. 2d 191, 191 (Miss. 1994); Marlboro Shirt Co. v. Whittington, 195 So. 2d 920, 921 (Miss. 1967).

Recently, an injured worker attempted to represent herself both at trial and on appeal. On appeal, she argued that her failure to file her appeal within 20 days should be excused. She gave two excuses for missing the 20 day appeal deadline: (a) a family emergency caused her to miss the deadline; and, (b) since she was representing herself, the delay should be excused.

The Mississippi Appeals Court held, “absent unique facts that would permit her petition to be considered constructively filed within the twenty-day time period, which are not present in the instant case,” her reasons for missing the deadline are simply insufficient. Ford v. KLLM, Inc., 909 So. 2d 1194, 1196 (Miss. Ct. App. 2005).

As a result, the Mississippi Appeals Court upheld the Commission’s decision finding that since she filed her appeal after the 20 day deadline, the case is dismissed.

This decision is why we encourage injured workers to contact an experienced Mississippi Worker’s Compensation lawyer regarding their case.

If you have any questions about this or any other Mississippi Worker’s Compensation Accident or Injury, please call or email Jay Foster.

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