Which document shows the case is ready for a hearing in WCAB proceedings?

• A. Declaration of Readiness to Proceed
• B. Application for Adjudication of Claim
• C. DWC-1
• D. Settlement Agreement

Answer: (A)

In WCAB proceedings, showing readiness for a hearing is signaled by filing a document specifically indicating that all issues are prepared for trial and a hearing should be scheduled. The Declaration of Readiness to Proceed serves this purpose. It formally tells the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board that the case is ready to move forward to a hearing, prompting the board to set a date and proceed to trial or a related prehearing conference.

The other documents have different roles: an Application for Adjudication of Claim starts the case and brings it before the WCAB; the DWC-1 is the employee’s claim form used to notify the employer/insurer of a work injury and initiate benefits; a Settlement Agreement records a negotiated resolution, which may occur before or after a hearing but does not by itself indicate that the case is ready for a hearing.