One day before the scheduled hearing, the claimant’s counsel notified the LAT and the insurer that the claimant had travelled to China for a family emergency. The hearing was adjourned to a later date, which neither the claimant nor his counsel attended. The insurer sought the dismissal of the claim as abandoned. Adjudicator Gottfried held that the claimant’s actions prevented the efficient, proportional, and timely resolution of the claim, and dismissed the matter as abandoned. No costs were awarded.
