60Q-6.102. Definitions

(1) “Claim” means each assertion of a legal right or benefit under Chapter 440, F.S.

(2) “Claimant” means the person asserting a claim.

(3) “Division” means the Division of Workers’ Compensation, Department of Financial Services.

(4) “Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims” (OJCC) means the office within the Department of Management Services, Division of Administrative Hearings, where the Deputy Chief Judge and judges of compensation claims preside.

(5) “Electronic filing” (efiling) means uploaded to the appropriate case docket using the electronic judges of compensation claims’ e-filing system (e-JCC) accessed through a link on the OJCC website at www.jcc.state.fl.us.

(6) “Electronic signature” means that a graphic version of the e-JCC user’s signature or “s/” followed by the e-JCC user’s typewritten name is deemed to be the legal equivalent of the e-JCC user’s handwritten signature.

(7) “Filed” means received by the clerk of the OJCC in Tallahassee.

(8) “Judge” means a judge of compensation claims appointed pursuant to Chapter 440, F.S.

(9) “Parties” may include the petitioner, claimant, employer, carrier, servicing agent, health care provider, and division.

(10) “Petition for benefits” means a pleading invoking the jurisdiction of the OJCC and subject to the requirements of Sections 440.192(1) through (4), F.S.

(11) “Pleading” means a petition for benefits or an amended petition, a motion, a response to a petition or a motion, a voluntary dismissal, a voluntary agreement to provide benefits, a pretrial stipulation, a stipulation changing the issues pending in a case, or a notice.

(12) “Personally conferred” means communications in person, by telephone, email, text messaging, or some other communication mechanism that permits an immediate, contemporaneous response.

(13) “Venue” means the geographic district where the parties would gather for a non-virtual hearing or mediation.

(14) “Verified” is defined in accordance with Section 92.525, F.S.

(15) “Virtual” means any real-time interaction through a video and/or audio system.

Rulemaking Authority 440.45(1)(a), (4) FS. Law Implemented 440.192(1), 440.45(1)(a), (4) FS. History–New 2-23-03, Amended 11-1-06, 10-31-10, 10-31-12, 11-10-14, 2-14-22, 3-15-23.