P.R. Laws tit. 9, § 2059

2019-02-20 00:00:00+00
§ 2059. Examination, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries; finding of fact

(1) Whenever the physical and mental condition of a person be of importance to a claim filed or to be filed for payment of past or future benefits, the Administration may direct said person to submit himself to the medical examinations as may be necessary.

(2) If the person refuses to be submitted to said medical examination or to comply with any order given by the Administration in accordance with this section, the Administration shall not make any payment whatsoever to said person or to his beneficiaries.

(3) The Administration may direct any victim to submit himself to the rehabilitation treatment or training that may be reasonable and justified. Refusal to comply with these orders may entail the loss of the benefits provided under this chapter.

(4) Every employer shall be under obligation to allow the examining and copying of and to furnish to the Administration, at its request, payrolls, work records and sworn statements showing the salaries earned by the victim subsequent to the date of the injuries and during a period of one (1) year prior to the date of the accident.

(5) Every physician, hospital, clinic or institution of medical services which provides any services related with an injury for which benefits or services are claimed under this chapter or which has previously attended the victim in connection with any former injury or condition which may be connected in any wise with the injury for which the claim is made, shall furnish, upon request of the Administration, all the information available from his records or his memory, including a written report on the history, condition, treatment, dates and costs of the treatment and other services rendered to the injured person, and shall produce and permit the inspection of all the records related with said medical history, the condition, treatment, and the dates and cost thereof, and any other information deemed necessary.

(6) Every physician-employer, hospital, clinic or any person or institution that furnishes information requested under the terms of this section, may be reimbursed the cost of furnishing such information, in accordance with the rates that the Administration may establish to that effect.

(7) The information obtained by the Administration or by its duly authorized employees during the course of the investigations performed in the exercise of the powers granted in this chapter shall be privileged and confidential in nature and may only be divulged with the authorization of the Executive Director or that of a court of competent jurisdiction when the physical condition or the medical treatment of the victim who has filed a claim against the Administration is a controversial fact in a judicial proceeding. In the latter case, the court’s authorization shall be deemed to extend only to information related to the claimant’s physical condition or treatment.

History —June 26, 1968, No. 138, p. 335, § 9, renumbered as § 10 and amended on Oct. 30, 1975, No. 12, p. 782, § 8; June 26, 1987, No. 45, p. 148, § 4.