{"id":"alj-H303017-2025-10-14","awcc_number":"H303017","decision_date":"2025-10-14","opinion_type":"alj","claimant_name":"Melanie Needham","employer_name":"Encompass Health Rehab Hospital","title":"NEEDHAM VS. ENCOMPASS HEALTH REHAB HOSPITAL AWCC# H303017 October 15, 2025","outcome":"dismissed","outcome_keywords":["dismissed:6"],"injury_keywords":["wrist"],"pdf_url":"https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/NEEDHAM_MELANIE_H303017_20251014.pdf","source_index_url":"https://labor.arkansas.gov/workers-comp/awcc-opinions/administrative-law-judge-opinions/","filename":"NEEDHAM_MELANIE_H303017_20251014.pdf","text_length":2253,"full_text":"BEFORE THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION \n \n WCC NO. H303017 \n \nMELANIE NEEDHAM, Employee CLAIMANT \n \nENCOMPASS HEALTH REHAB HOSPITAL, Employer RESPONDENT \n \nCORVEL ENTERPRISE COMP, INC., Carrier RESPONDENT \n \n \n \n OPINION FILED OCTOBER 14, 2025 \n \nHearing  before  ADMINISTRATIVE  LAW  JUDGE  ERIC  PAUL  WELLS  in Fort  Smith, \nSebastian County, Arkansas. \n \nClaimant not represented by counsel and not appearing at hearing. \n \nRespondents represented by DAVID C. JONES, Attorney at Law, Little Rock, Arkansas. \n \n STATEMENT OF THE CASE \n \n This case comes on for review following a hearing on respondents’ Motion to Dismiss.  \n On November  13,  2024,  the  claimant  filed  an  AR-C  requesting  various  compensation \nbenefits in which she alleges an injury to her right wrist on or about January 12, 2023. There has \nbeen no request for a hearing and no further action was taken in this claim. \n On June 10, 2025, the respondents filed a Motion to Dismiss requesting that this claim be \ndismissed  for  lack  of  prosecution.  A  hearing  was  scheduled  for September  18,  2025.  Notice  of \nthat  hearing  was  sent  to  the  claimant  by  certified  mail,  return  receipt  requested  on August  11, \n2025. United States Postal Department records indicate that claimant received and signed for the \nnotice on August 14, 2025. Despite having received notice of the scheduled hearing, the claimant \nfailed to appear at the hearing and has failed to respond to the motion in any form or manner. \n\nNeedham – H303017 \n \n-2- \nPursuant  to  11  CAR  §25-110(d)  (previously  codified  as  Commission  Rule  099.13),  the \nCommission may enter an order dismissing a claim for want of prosecution After a review of the \nrespondents’ Motion to Dismiss, the claimant’s lack of desire to pursue her claim, and her failure \nto appear at the scheduled hearing, as well as all other matters properly before the Commission, I \nfind  that  claimant  has  failed  to  prosecute  this  claim.  Therefore,  this  claim  is  dismissed  without \nprejudice. \n IT IS SO ORDERED. \n \n                                ____________________________                                               \n       HONORABLE ERIC PAUL WELLS \n       ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE","preview":"BEFORE THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION WCC NO. H303017 MELANIE NEEDHAM, Employee CLAIMANT ENCOMPASS HEALTH REHAB HOSPITAL, Employer RESPONDENT CORVEL ENTERPRISE COMP, INC., Carrier RESPONDENT OPINION FILED OCTOBER 14, 2025 Hearing before ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE ERIC PAUL WELLS in Fort Smith, Sebastian Co...","fetched_at":"2026-05-19T22:35:38.387Z","links":{"html":"/opinions/alj-H303017-2025-10-14","pdf":"https://www.labor.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/NEEDHAM_MELANIE_H303017_20251014.pdf","source_publisher":"https://labor.arkansas.gov/workers-comp/awcc-opinions/administrative-law-judge-opinions/"}}