A stipulation in a workers' compensation proceeding means what?

• A. Facts are agreed upon by the parties
• B. Findings are always determined by the judge
• C. No agreement possible
• D. Hearing is required

Answer: (A)

In this context, a stipulation means the parties have agreed on certain facts or issues, and those points are treated as proven for the case. This helps speed things up and focus attention on the items that remain in dispute, since anything that’s stipulated does not need to be proven at a hearing. For example, the parties might stipulate the date of injury, the employee’s wage at the time, or the medical report they rely on. The judge will usually accept these agreed facts and base the award on them plus any unresolved issues. It doesn’t imply there’s no possibility of agreement at all, nor does it require a hearing to cover every matter; rather, it confirms what both sides have already agreed on, streamlining the process.