Appeal Expenses

Section 7 of the Workers Compensation Act Appeal Regulation (Appeal Regulation) provides that WCAT may order WorkSafeBC to reimburse you for certain appeal expenses related to an appeal. More information on expenses is provided in Chapter 16 of the Manual of Rules of Practice and Procedure (MRPP) .

WCAT does not order WorkSafeBC to pay for your photocopying expenses, or your representative's fees.

Documentary Evidence Expenses

At your request, WCAT may order WorkSafeBC to reimburse you for the expense of obtaining or producing evidence, such as a letter or report from a doctor, or translating a document into English. If you have such an expense, send us a copy of the bill or invoice along with your written submission, or give it to the vice chair at your oral hearing. more ...

Even if you are not successful in the appeal, WCAT will generally order WorkSafeBC to reimburse you for your expense in obtaining written evidence (such as a medical report) if the evidence was useful or helpful in deciding the appeal, or it was reasonable for you to have obtained the evidence for the appeal. WCAT usually put limits on the amount of the reimbursement if there is a WorkSafeBC rate or fee schedule (see expense reimbursement chart ). If your bill or invoice is higher than this rate or fee schedule, please explain the reason why you think we should order reimbursement of the full amount. In these circumstances please provide us with a copy of the itemized bill or invoice.

Attending An Oral Hearing Expenses

We may order reimbursement of a worker's expenses for attending an oral hearing, such as travel and lost wages. In some circumstances we will also reimburse meals and accommodation expenses. more ...

We generally reimburse the worker for expenses incurred in attending the oral hearing if they are successful in the appeal. The amount reimbursed may be limited (see expense reimbursement chart ).

We do not normally order reimbursement of expenses for an employer's attendance at an oral hearing.

We reimburse witness expenses for attending an oral hearing where their attendance was helpful or useful or it was reasonable to have asked them to attend and give evidence (regardless of the outcome of the appeal).

If WCAT orders WorkSafeBC to reimburse you for your expenses for attending the oral hearing, please send all your bills and receipts to WorkSafeBC. WorkSafeBC reimburses these expenses, not WCAT.

Expense Reimbursement Chart	Is there a WorkSafeBC (Rate or Fee) Schedule for Guidance
A. Production of Evidence
Expert Medical Witnesses	No (see Scale B BCMA Medical-Legal matters for guidance)¹
Medical-Legal Opinion	British Columbia Medical Association (BCMA) Fee Schedule
Medical-Legal Report	BCMA Fee Schedule
Independent Medical Examination (PFI Evaluation)	No²
Psychological Assessment	Psychologist Fee Schedule
Neuropsychological Assessment	Psychologist Fee Schedule
Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE)	FCE Fee Schedule
Employability Assessment (EA)	EA Fee Schedule ³
Individual Written Rehabilitation Plan (IWRP)	IWRP Fee Schedule
Ergonomic Assessment	No⁴
Job Demands Analysis	RTWSS Fee Schedule
Vocational Testing/Assessment	Fee Schedule Vocational Rehabilitation Program Services
B. Attending an Oral Hearing
Lost Wages	Item #16.00 MRPP; Rehabilitation Services and Claims Manual (RSCM) #100.14 and #83.13 policy guidance
Transportation	Item #16.00 MRPP; RSCM #100.14 and #82.20 policy guidance
Meals and Accommodation	Item #16.00 MRPP; RSCM #100.14 and #83.13 policy guidance

¹→ WCAT will also consider reimbursing the attendance of other non-medical expert witnesses for which there is no WorkSafeBC rate or fee schedule to provide guidance.

²→ WorkSafeBC practice is to consider these assessments as being equivalent to a medical legal opinion so that the BCMA fee schedule for medical legal opinions should apply.

³→ As of January 1, 2011 there is a fee schedule.

⁴→ WorkSafeBC practice is to pay up to $1000 for an external ergonomic assessment report which is the same as a one-day Functional Capacity Evaluation.