Vasquez, Moises

Applicant Moises Vasquez, a tire changer, sustained an admitted specific injury on January 9, 2012, and obtained a Findings and Award (including a Life Pension) after the parties answered ready at trial despite his apparent unavailability. When Award payments went uncashed and unreturned, defendant petitioned to suspend payment of the Award. The WCJ declined to suspend payments and instead, via a Notice of Intention and subsequent Findings and Order, directed defendant to void outstanding payments, deposit Award proceeds into an FDIC-insured bank account established for the applicant, and required the parties to file quarterly accountings and document efforts to locate the applicant. The WCAB denied defendant's Petition for Reconsideration, adopting the WCJ's Report and Opinion on Decision, finding the bank-account mechanism better protected the absent applicant's funds while preserving defendant's due process right to renew its petition later.