The Indiana worker’s compensation system is designed to provide an expeditious resolution to disputes between injured workers and employers. For claims in which an application for adjustment of claim has been filed, if necessary, formal discovery methods may be utilized by counsel for both the injured worker and the employer.
As required by the Indiana Rules of Court, discovery should be limited to relevant questions for which the seeking party does not already know the response. Parties are urged to avoid using pattern discovery requests seeking irrelevant and unduly burdensome information.
Counsel should limit discovery to information necessary to the defense of the case. Failure to do so can result in the granting of motions for protective orders. Parties are encouraged to discuss and resolve discovery disputes amongst themselves before petitioning the Board for protective orders.