Rivers, Colleen

Applicant Colleen Rivers claimed industrial injury while working as a House Director and signed a proposed Compromise and Release (C&R) with her attorney on October 7, 2025. Applicant died on October 9, 2025, and defendant signed the C&R the next day on October 10, 2025, without knowledge of her death; the WCJ approved the $365,000 settlement on October 13, 2025. Defendant petitioned for reconsideration, contending it would not have signed had it known of applicant's passing and that the agreement was voidable based on mistake of fact. While the petition was pending, both parties filed a Joint Stipulation on November 12, 2025 agreeing the C&R was void and unenforceable and requesting it be set aside. The Board granted reconsideration, approved the Joint Stipulation under Labor Code section 5702, rescinded the October 13, 2025 Order Approving C&R, and returned the matter to the trial level for further proceedings.