In Janke, the employer and insurer refused to provide a claim form when requested by an employee who was claiming psychiatric injury. The employee retained an attorney as recommended by the insurer, and a completed claim form was served on the employer. The employer denied the claim within 90 days of being served with the completed claim form. The WCAB panel held, however, that the 90-day period allowed to the employer under section 5402 had already expired because it had commenced to run when the employer received knowledge of the injury claim and had deliberately refused to provide the claim form to the employee. n7 The WCAB panel found such conduct to be egregious and stated that it would not allow claim procedures to be manipulated intentionally or negligently so as to extend the period in which a claim must be accepted or rejected.
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n7 The WCAB panel found the circumstances analogous to when an employer fails to provide an employee with required notices of rights and the statute of limitations is tolled ( Kaiser Foundation Hospitals v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd. (1985) 39 Cal.3d 57, 216 Cal. Rptr. 115, 702 P.2d 197 (Kaiser); Reynolds v. Workmen's Comp. Appeals Bd. (1974) 12 Cal.3d 726, 117 Cal. Rptr. 79, 527 P.2d 631 [Reynolds]), or vocational rehabilitation benefits are owed from when the employer fails to advise the employee of the right to rehabilitation ( Webb v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd. (1980) 28 Cal.3d 621, 170 Cal. Rptr. 32, 620 P.2d 618 (Webb).)