217 - Notice and proof of claim.
§ 217. Notice and proof of claim. 1. Written notice and proof of disability 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 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 twenty-six weeks after commencement of the period of disability. No limitation of time provided in this section shall run as against any person 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 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 may direct the claimant to submit to examination by a physician or podiatrist or chiropractor or dentist or psychologist designated by him or her in any case in which the claim to disability benefits is contested and in claims arising under section two hundred seven, and in other cases as the chair or board may require. 4. Refusal of the claimant without good cause to submit to any such examination shall disqualify him 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 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 benefits is rejected, the carrier or employer shall send by first class mail written notice of rejection to the claimant 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 chairman if it can be shown to the satisfaction of the chairman 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 chairman, to the effect that the claimant may, for the purpose of review by the board, file with the chairman notice that his or her claim has not been paid.