South Carolina § 42-17-40 - Conduct of hearing; award.

§ 42-17-40. Conduct of hearing; award.

(A) The commission or any of its members shall hear the parties at issue and their representatives and witnesses and shall determine the dispute in a summary manner. The award, together with a statement of the findings of fact, rulings of law, and other matters pertinent to the questions at issue, must be filed with the record of the proceedings and a copy of the award must immediately be sent to the parties in dispute. The parties may be heard by a deputy, in which event he shall swear or cause the witnesses to be sworn and shall transmit all testimony to the commission for its determination and award.

(B) In the event any commissioner or any member of his family residing in the commissioner's household or any employee of the Workers' Compensation Commission receives an injury in the course of employment, the case must be heard and determined by the circuit court judge in the county in which the injury occurred. The clerk of court shall docket these cases in the file book for the court of common pleas and these cases must be heard in that court. These cases may be called up for trial out of their order by either party. An appeal from an order of the circuit court judge, pursuant to this subsection, shall be taken in the manner provided by the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules. If the order is not appealed, payment must be made as provided in Section 42-17-60. However, this subsection does not apply with respect to claims involving medical benefits only; for claims solely involving medical benefits, subsection (A) applies.

HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 72-354; 1952 Code SECTION 72-354; 1942 Code SECTION 7035-61; 1936 (39) 1231; 1989 Act No. 70, SECTION 1, eff May 10, 1989; 1999 Act No. 55, SECTION 45, eff June 1, 1999.