1. A. If a notice of claim status accepting a claim for benefits is final, any subsequent notice of claim status that changes a claimant’s amount of, or entitlement to, compensation or medical, surgical, or hospital benefits shall not have a retroactive effect for more than 30 days from the date a carrier or self-insured employer issues the subsequent notice of claim status. This subsection does not apply to a subsequent notice that affects the entitlement to or amount of death benefits. The Commission may for good cause relieve a carrier or self-insured employer of the effect of this subsection.

2. B. If a notice of claim status or other determination issued by a carrier, self-insured employer, or special fund division, is based upon a physician’s report:

   1. 1. The carrier, self-insured employer, or special fund division shall attach a copy of the physician’s complete report to the notice of claim status or other determination sent to the Commission; and
   2. 2. The carrier, self-insured employer, or special fund division shall attach a copy of the physician’s complete report to the notice of claim status or other determination served on a party, except as provided in R20-5-113(C).

3. C. If a carrier, self-insured employer, or special fund division pays compensation to a claimant:

   1. 1. The carrier or self-insured employer shall close the claim by issuing a notice of claim status; and
   2. 2. The special fund division shall close the claim by issuing a notice of determination.
4. D. The inadvertent failure of a carrier, self-insured employer, or special fund division to comply with subsection (B) shall not affect the validity of a notice or determination if the carrier, self-insured employer, or special fund division issuing the notice or determination had in its possession at the time the notice or determination is issued a medical report consistent with the notice or determination.

Historical Note

Former Rule 17. Amended effective March 1, 1987, filed February 26, 1987 (Supp. 87-1). R20-5-117 recodified from R4-13-117 (Supp. 95-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 7 A.A.R. 3966 and 7 A.A.R. 4995, effective August 17, 2001 (Supp. 01-3). Section R20-5-117 renumbered to R20-5-116; new Section R20-5-117 renumbered from R20-5-118 by final rulemaking at 31 A.A.R. 4199 (October 31, 2025), effective December 6, 2025 (Supp. 25-4).