{"data":{"id":"us/20-cfr-725.360","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"20 CFR 725.360","heading":"Parties to proceedings.","body":"(a) Except as provided in § 725.361, no person other than the Secretary of Labor and authorized personnel of the Department of Labor shall participate at any stage in the adjudication of a claim for benefits under this part, unless such person is determined by the appropriate adjudication officer to qualify under the provisions of this section as a party to the claim. The following persons shall be parties:\n(1) The claimant;\n(2) A person other than a claimant, authorized to execute a claim on such claimant's behalf under § 725.301;\n(3) Any coal mine operator notified under § 725.407 of its possible liability for the claim;\n(4) Any insurance carrier of such operator; and\n(5) The Director in all proceedings relating to a claim for benefits under this part.\n(b) A widow, child, parent, brother, or sister, or the representative of a decedent's estate, who makes a showing in writing that his or her rights with respect to benefits may be prejudiced by a decision of an adjudication officer, may be made a party.\n(c) Any coal mine operator or prior operator or insurance carrier which has not been notified under § 725.407 and which makes a showing in writing that its rights may be prejudiced by a decision of an adjudication officer may be made a party.\n(d) Any other individual may be made a party if that individual's rights with respect to benefits may be prejudiced by a decision to be made.","path":["Title 20—Employees' Benefits","CHAPTER VI—OFFICE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR","SUBCHAPTER B—FEDERAL COAL MINE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, AS AMENDED","PART 725—CLAIMS FOR BENEFITS UNDER PART C OF TITLE IV OF THE FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT, AS AMENDED","Subpart D—Adjudication Officers; Parties and Representatives"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-20.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:24:45Z","sha256":"a0ea96f598a8cebd1f3fe06b2032f85c5c0cdd31a3f06cae3affa9816dba5340","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/20-cfr-725.352","next":"us/20-cfr-725.361"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}