Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 50, December 14, 2024
Section 131.57 - Compromise and release agreements(a) Under section 449 of the act (77 P. S. § 1000.5), upon or after filing a petition, the parties may engage in a compromise and release of any and all liability which is claimed to exist under the act on account of injury or death, subject to approval by the judge after consideration at a hearing.(b) Proposed compromise and release agreements, including the stipulations of the parties, shall be recorded on a form prescribed by the Department. The parties may attach additional information to the form if circumstances so require.(c) If another petition is pending before a judge at the time of the agreement of the parties to compromise and release the claim, any party may, in writing, request the judge to schedule a hearing on the proposed compromise and release agreement. The written request will be treated as an amendment of the pending matter to a petition to seek approval of a compromise and release agreement.(d) The judge will expedite the convening of a hearing on the compromise and release agreement. The judge will circulate a written decision on the proposed compromise and release agreement within 30 days after the hearing. This subsection does not apply if a resolution hearing has been requested in accordance with § 131.60 (relating to resolution hearings).(e) Subsections (a)-(d) supercede 1 Pa. Code §§33.42, 35.40, 35.41, 35.48-35.51, 35.101 -35.106, 35.111 -35.116, 35.121 -35.128 and 35.155.The provisions of this § 131.57 adopted December 6, 2002, effective 12/7/2002, 32 Pa.B. 6043; amended October 16, 2009, effective 10/17/2009, 39 Pa.B. 6038; amended December 19, 2014, effective 12/20/2014, 44 Pa.B. 7837.The provisions of this § 131.57 issued under the sections 401.1, 435(a) and (c) and 1608 of the Workers' Compensation Act (77 P. S. §§ 710, 991(a) and (c) and 2708); section 2205 of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 565); and section 414 of The Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act (77 P. S. § 1514).