Content: Manwiller v. Advantage Sales and Marketing, LLC (2024 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 358)

The WCAB upheld a WCJ’s order that the applicant, who lived out of state, must appear in California for her deposition.

The defendant sought an in-person deposition of the applicant that was scheduled contemporaneously with a QME evaluation, and offered to pay all applicable expenses including transportation, lodging, meals and lost wages.

The WCAB found that she was a party to the case and specifically invoked its jurisdiction when she filed her claim in California.

The WCAB added that given the nature of psyche claims, the parties should understand that credibility and witness testimony are crucial to determining the outcome of the relevant issues, and that in-person testimony could be more significant to the discovery process.