N.Y. Workers' Compensation Law § 217: Notice and proof of claim

§ 217. Notice and proof of claim. 1. Written notice and proof of

disability or proof of need for family leave shall be furnished to the

employer by or on behalf of the employee claiming benefits or, in the

case of a claimant under section two hundred seven of this article, to

the chair, within thirty days after commencement of the period of

disability. Additional proof shall be furnished thereafter from time to

time as the employer or carrier or chair may require but not more often

than once each week. Such proof shall include a statement of disability

by the employee's attending physician or attending podiatrist or

attending chiropractor or attending dentist or attending psychologist or

attending certified nurse midwife or family leave care recipient's

health care provider, or in the case of an employee who adheres to the

faith or teachings of any church or denomination, and who in accordance

with its creed, tenets or principles depends for healing upon prayer

through spiritual means alone in the practice of religion, by an

accredited practitioner, containing facts and opinions as to such

disability in compliance with regulations of the chair. Failure to

furnish notice or proof within the time and in the manner above provided

shall not invalidate the claim but no benefits shall be required to be

paid for any period more than two weeks prior to the date on which the

required proof is furnished unless it shall be shown to the satisfaction

of the chair not to have been reasonably possible to furnish such notice

or proof and that such notice or proof was furnished as soon as

possible; provided, however, that no benefits shall be paid unless the

required proof of disability is furnished within the period of actual

disability or family leave that does not exceed the statutory maximum

period permitted under section two hundred four of this article. No

limitation of time provided in this section shall run as against any

disabled employee who is mentally incompetent, or physically incapable

of providing such notice as a result of a serious medical condition, or

a minor so long as such person has no guardian of the person and/or

property.

2. An employee claiming disability benefits shall, as requested by the

employer or carrier, submit himself or herself at intervals, but not

more than once a week, for examination by a physician or podiatrist or

chiropractor or dentist or psychologist or certified nurse midwife

designated by the employer or carrier. All such examinations shall be

without cost to the employee and shall be held at a reasonable time and

place.

3. The chair or chair's designee, pursuant to section two hundred

twenty-one of this article, may direct the claimant or family leave care

recipient to submit to examination by a health care provider designated

by him or her in any case in which the claim to disability or family

leave benefits is contested and in claims arising under section two

hundred seven of this article, and in other cases as the chair or board

may require.

4. Refusal of the claimant or family leave care recipient without good

cause to submit to any such examination shall disqualify the claimant or

employee from all benefits hereunder for the period of such refusal,

except as to benefits already paid.

5. If benefits required to be paid by this article have been paid to

an employee, further payments for the same disability or family leave

shall not be barred solely because of failure to give notice or to file

proof of disability for the period or periods for which such benefits

have been paid.

6. In the event that a claim for disability benefits is rejected, the

carrier or employer shall send by first class mail written notice of

rejection to the employee within forty-five days of receipt of proof of

disability. Failure to mail such written notice of rejection within the

time provided, shall bar the employer or carrier from contesting

entitlement to benefits for any period of disability prior to such

notice but such failure may be excused by the chair if it can be shown

to the satisfaction of the chair not to have been reasonably possible to

mail such notice and that such notice was mailed as soon as possible.

Such notice shall include a statement, in a form prescribed by the

chair, to the effect that the employee may, for the purpose of review,

file notice that his or her claim has not been paid as set forth in

section two hundred twenty-one of this article.