Opinion
CAAP-22-0000245
11-07-2022
DWIGHT J. VICENTE, Claimant-Appellant-Appellant, v. HILO MEDICAL INVESTORS, LTD., Employer-Appellee-Appellee, and AMERICAN HOME ASSURANCE COMPANY/AIG CLAIMS SERVICES, Insurance Carrier-Appellee-Appellee, and JOHN MULLEN & COMPANY, INC., Insurance-Adjuster-Appellee-Appellee
NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER
Appeal from the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board (Case No. AB 2015-259(H)(S); DCD No. 1-87-00882)
Leonard, Presiding Judge, Nakasone and Chan, JJ.
ORDER DISMISSING APPEAL FOR LACK OF APPELLATE JURISDICTION
Upon review of the record, it appears that we lack appellate jurisdiction over self-represented Claimant-Appellant-Appellant Dwight J. Vicente's (Vicente) appeal from a purported order denying Vicente's motion to continue trial by the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board (LIRAB), in Case No. 2015-259(H)(S), because the record on appeal in CAAP-22-0000245 does not include a final decision or order by the LIRAB regarding its review of a June 3, 2015 decision by the Director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations regarding Vicente's claim for further workers' compensation benefits for a May 3, 1987 injury.
An aggrieved party may appeal from a final decision and order by the LIRAB directly to this court under Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) §§ 386-88 (2015) and 91-14 (2012). For purposes of HRS § 91-14(a), "final order" means "an order ending the proceedings, leaving nothing further to be accomplished[;] . . . Consequently, an order is not final if the rights of a party involved remain undetermined or if the matter is retained for further action." Bocalbos v. Kapiolani Med. Ctr. for Women & Child., 89 Hawai'i 436, 439, 974 P.2d 1026, 1029 (1999) (cleaned up) .
No final judgment has been entered in the underlying proceeding. Absent an appealable, final decision or order in LIRAB Case No. 2015-259(H)(S), the appeal is premature and we lack jurisdiction.
Therefore, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that appellate case number CAAP-22-0000245 is dismissed for lack of appellate jurisdiction.