(a) The Insurance Commissioner, private carriers, and self-insured employers may determine all questions within their jurisdiction. In matters arising under 23-2C-8(c) of this code, and under 23-3-1 et seq. and 23-4-1 et seq. of this code, the Insurance Commissioner, private carriers, and self-insured employers shall promptly review and investigate all claims. The parties to a claim are the claimant and, if applicable, the claimants dependents, and the employer, and with respect to claims involving funds created in 23-2C-1 et seq. of this code for which he or she has been designated the administrator, the Insurance Commissioner. In claims in which the employer had coverage on the date of the injury or last exposure, the employers carrier has sole authority to act on the employers behalf in all aspects related to litigation of the claim. With regard to any issue which is ready for a decision, the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier, or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, shall promptly send the decision to all parties, including the basis of its decision. As soon as practicable after receipt of any occupational pneumoconiosis or occupational disease claim, or any injury claim in which temporary total benefits are being claimed, the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier, or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, shall send the claimant a brochure approved by the Insurance Commissioner setting forth the claims process.
(b) (1) Except with regard to interlocutory matters, upon making any decision, upon making or refusing to make any award, or upon making any modification or change with respect to former findings or orders, as provided by 23-4-16 of this code, the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier, or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, shall give notice, in writing, to the parties to the claim of its action. The notice shall state the time allowed for filing a protest to the finding. The action of the Insurance Commissioner, private carrier, or self-insured employer, whichever is applicable, is final unless the decision is protested within 60 days after the receipt of such decision unless a protest is filed within the 60-day period, the finding or action is final. This time limitation is a condition of the right to litigate the finding or action and hence jurisdictional. Any protest shall be filed with the Office of Judges with a copy served upon the parties to the claim, and other parties in accordance with the procedures set forth in 23-8-1 et seq. and 23-9-1 et seq. of this code. An employer may protest decisions incorporating findings made by the Occupational Pneumoconiosis Board, decisions made by the Insurance Commissioner acting as administrator of claims involving funds created in 23-2C-1 et seq. of this code or decisions entered pursuant to 23-4-7A(c)(1) of this code.
(2) (A) With respect to every application for benefits filed on or after July 1, 2008, in which a decision to deny benefits is protested and the matter involves an issue as to whether the application was properly filed as a new claim or a reopening of a previous claim, the party that denied the application shall begin to make conditional payment of benefits and must promptly give notice to the Office of Judges that another identifiable person may be liable. The Office of Judges shall promptly order the appropriate persons be joined as parties to the proceeding: Provided, That at any time during a proceeding in which conditional payments are being made in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, the Office of Judges may, pending final determination of the person properly liable for payment of the claim, order that such conditional payments of benefits be paid by another party.