On March 18, 2020, Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice, Tom Parker, issued an Order setting forth temporary rules regarding workers’ compensation settlements.
Per the Order, the following rules will be in effect through April 16, 2020:
- Any workers’ compensation settlement hearing in any court may be conducted telephonically or by videoconferencing.
- Any workers’ compensation settlement may be approved by an ombudsman of the Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL) or by a circuit judge. If a workers’ compensation case pending in a court is settled with written approval of an ombudsman from the ADOL, that
settlement shall result in the dismissal of the workers’ compensation claim pending in court.
The above referenced Order was issued in the wake of a March 13, 2020 Order that suspended all in-person court proceedings through April 16, 2020.