Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 386-86 (2026)

  Proceedings upon claim; hearings

✓ current as of July 2026
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     §386-86  Proceedings upon claim; hearings.  (a)  If a claim for compensation is made, the director shall make such further investigation as deemed necessary and render a decision within sixty days after the conclusion of the hearing awarding or denying compensation, stating the findings of fact and conclusions of law.  The director may extend the due date for decisions for good cause provided all parties agree.  The decision shall be filed with the record of the proceedings and a copy of the decision shall be sent immediately to each party.

     (b)  The hearing shall be informal and shall afford the parties a full and fair opportunity to present the facts and evidence to be considered.  Hearings under this section shall not be subject to chapter 91.  No stenographic or tape recording shall be allowed.

     (c)  The order of presentation shall not alter the burden of proof, including the burden of producing evidence and the burden of persuasion.  The party or parties who bear these burdens shall be determined by law consistent with the purposes of this section.

     (d)  Should the injured employee or injured employee's representative, or the employer or employer's representative fail to appear at the hearing, the director may issue a decision based on the information on file.  The decision shall be final unless appealed pursuant to section 386-87.  In all other circumstances, a decision shall not be rendered by the director without a hearing, which may not be waived by the parties.

     (e)  For the purpose of obtaining any matter, not privileged, which is relevant to the subject matter involved in the pending action, the director, upon application and for good cause shown, may order the taking of relevant testimony by deposition, upon oral examination, or written interrogatories, or by other means of discovery in the manner and effect prescribed by the Hawaii rules of civil procedure; provided that when the claimant's deposition is taken, the employer shall pay for the cost to the claimant of attending the deposition, any costs associated with having the deposition transcribed and copied, and any and all reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred by the claimant with respect to the deposition.

     (f)  Subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses at a hearing before a hearings officer or for the taking of a deposition or the production of documentary evidence from any place within the State at any designated place of hearing may be issued by the director or a duly authorized representative.  The employer shall serve a claimant with a copy of a medical record subpoena unless the employer has previously obtained the claimant's authorization to examine the claimant's medical records.  Should the claimant subpoena medical records, the employer shall be served a copy.  The party subpoenaing the records shall provide these records within fifteen calendar days of their receipt to the employer, claimant, and the special compensation fund if a joinder has been filed, or their representatives.  These records shall be submitted by the party requesting the subpoena to the director within seven calendar days of the date of the notice of hearing or upon request by the director.  A party who desires to enforce the director's subpoena shall seek enforcement from a court of competent jurisdiction. [L 1963, c 116, pt of §1; Supp, §97-95; HRS §386-86; am L 1985, c 296, §8; am L Sp 2005, c 11, §8]

 

Law Journals and Reviews

 

  One-Sided Bargain?  Assessing the Fairness of Hawai‘i's Workers' Compensation Law.  31 UH L. Rev. 553 (2009).

 

Case Notes

 

  Where no lawful claim was filed with the director, director lacked the statutory authority either to award or to deny benefits to injured employee.  89 H. 411, 974 P.2d 51 (1999).

 

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1999–2025 · leading case: Potter v. Hawaii Newspaper Agency, 974 P.2d 51 (Haw. 1999).
Potter v. Hawaii Newspaper Agency, 974 P.2d 51 (Haw. 1999). · cites it 3× “HRS § 386-86 (1993) provides in relevant part that “[i]f a claim for compen *423 sation is made, the director shall make such further investigation as deemed necessary and render a decision within sixty days after the conclusion of the hearing awarding, or denying compensation.”
Cadiz v. QSI, Inc., 468 P.3d 110 (Haw. 2020). · cites it 2× “HRS § 386-86(a)-(b). The director conducts a hearing on the claim and issues findings of fact and conclusions of law.”
E & J Lounge Operating Co. v. Liquor Comm'n of Honolulu, 174 P.3d 367 (Haw. App. 2007). · cites it 4× “A certification by the medical board that an individual is not incapacitated may be appealed to the ERS board of trustees.”
Bocalbos v. Kapiolani Med. Ctr. for Women & Child., 974 P.2d 1026 (Haw. 1999). · cites it 2× “HRS § 386-86 (1993). The decision of the director is final unless it is appealed to the LIRAB, which may affirm, reverse, or modify the director’s decision or remand the *439 case to the director for further proceedings and action.”
In re Attorney's Fees to McLaren v. Paradise Inn Hawaii, Inc., 321 P.3d 671 (Haw. 2014). · cites it 2× “” McLaren further argued that because a claimant’s attorney’s fees and costs approved by the DCD or the LIRAB are subtracted from compensation otherwise payable to the claimant, and because the approved amount is valuable income to the claimant’s attorney, an HRS § 386-86…”
Yoshii v. State, Univ. of Hawaii., 375 P.3d 216 (Haw. 2016). · cites it 2× “” HRS § 386-86 provides, in pertinent part, that “[i]n any proceeding for the enforcement of a claim for compensation under this chapter it shall be presumed, in the absence of substantial evidence to the contrary: (1) That the claim is for a covered work injury.”
Cui v. State, 487 P.3d 324 (Haw. 2021). · cites it 14× “2d 51, 63 (1999), this court stated: “The plain language of [HRS § 386-86] (continued . . .) 10 ***NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAII REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER*** the Director, the Director lacks the statutory authority to award or deny benefits to an injured employee.”
Ihara v. State. (Haw. 2017). · cites it 2× “HRS § 386-86(a)-(b)(1993 & Supp. 2014). The director conducts an informal hearing on the claim and issues findings of fact and conclusions of law.”
Weis v. Pali Momi Med. Ctr. (Haw. App. 2024). · cites it 2× “HRS § 386-86 (2015), concerning proceedings and hearings, has no restriction on the Director's authority to consider or apply equitable doctrines such as estoppel.”
Cooper v. State of Hawaii Dep't of Taxation (D. Haw. 2019). · cites it 2× “Defendant Nishimoto’s letter to Plaintiff informed him that the Department of Human Resources Development would not approve his workers’ compensation benefits beginning on April 11, 2017, because he failed to provide a proper medical examination slip beyond that date.”
Suzuki v. Kawamura (Haw. 2011). · cites it 2× “and Circuit Judge To#oto#o, assigned by reason of vacancy) Upon consideration of the petition for a writ of mandamus filed by petitioner Lola Suzuki and the papers in support, it appears that: (1) HRS § 386-86(e) (Supp. 2009) expressly authorizes a deposition, upon oral…”
Webb v. OSF Int'l, Inc. ICA s.d.o., filed 03/13/2024 [ada], 154 Haw. 85. Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 05/01/2024. S.Ct. Order Accepting Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 06/12/2024 [ada]. (Haw. 2025). “Upon receipt of the request from the employee, the director shall conduct a hearing as expeditiously as possible and render a prompt decision as specified in section 386-86. If the employee is unable to perform light work, if offered, temporary total disability 9 In Bocalbos,…”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 386-86(a) — 3 cases
Cadiz v. QSI, Inc., 468 P.3d 110 (Haw. 2020). “HRS § 386-86(a)-(b). The director conducts a hearing on the claim and issues findings of fact and conclusions of law.”
Cui v. State, 487 P.3d 324 (Haw. 2021). “2d 51, 63 (1999), this court stated: “The plain language of [HRS § 386-86] (continued . . .) 10 ***NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAII REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER*** the Director, the Director lacks the statutory authority to award or deny benefits to an injured employee.”
Ihara v. State. (Haw. 2017). “HRS § 386-86(a)-(b)(1993 & Supp. 2014). The director conducts an informal hearing on the claim and issues findings of fact and conclusions of law.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 386-86(e) — 1 case
Suzuki v. Kawamura (Haw. 2011). “and Circuit Judge To#oto#o, assigned by reason of vacancy) Upon consideration of the petition for a writ of mandamus filed by petitioner Lola Suzuki and the papers in support, it appears that: (1) HRS § 386-86(e) (Supp. 2009) expressly authorizes a deposition, upon oral…”
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