Odds When You Appeal in Workers Comp

Here is a statistic mentioned at a recent seminar I attended. Going back over ten years anyone who appeals a workers comp decision only has a 17% chance of any success. The odds are very much against you although some appeals are easy to decide against the appealing party. If you are untimely in an appeal it gets dismissed. If you missed a deadline that can mean a dismissal. If you simply disagree with the Judge's weighing of the evidence the odds are a fairly clear your appeal will be dismissed. But it is still sad that so many appeals are a waste of time. Of course we are talking about the rate of dismissals at the next level up from the hearing judge. That level is called ICAP which stands for the Industrial Claim Appeals Panel. Beyond that level is the Court of Appeals and then the Colorado Supreme Court for a few cases. You can lose at the hearing, at the first appeal, at the Court of Appeals and then win at the Supreme Court. So odds mean little if you have a good argument with a solid legal basis. The problem is that few losing cases are that solid and most appeals simply result in a dead end. Being upset at the hearing judge is not enough to appeal...it takes a solid legal argument. So if you are convinced you are right and appeal be aware that 83% of the time appeals are lost at the ICAP level.