Lopez Mendoza, Gilberto

Defendant petitioned for reconsideration of a WCJ's Findings of Fact that found applicant sustained a cumulative trauma injury through October 1, 2017 and that the claim was not barred by the statute of limitations because the limitations period was tolled. The WCJ's Report recommended granting reconsideration to remove the industrial injury finding (which was not a triable issue) and returning the case for a notice of intent to impose sanctions because defendant's Petition contained multiple fabricated case citations and quotations. Defense counsel admitted the false citations were generated by an AI chatbot, ChatSOC, from Sullivan on Comp. The Board granted reconsideration, vacated the entire Findings of Fact because no date of injury was ever established under section 5412 (a prerequisite to the statute of limitations analysis), deferred a final decision on the merits, and issued a Notice of Intention to impose sanctions of up to $2,500 jointly and severally against the employer, insurer, administrator, defense firm, and individual attorney for filing a verified pleading with fabricated authorities.