§33-16H-3. Judicial review; enforcement.

(a) An individual or issuer may seek judicial review of a final decision rendered by an independent review organization by filing a petition in the circuit court within sixty days after receipt of notice of such decision.

(1) Venue for a petition filed pursuant to this section is the county in which the individual resides or, if the individual is a non-resident, the county in which he or she works or, if he or she does not work in this state, the county in which his or her employer is located, or if none of these counties are applicable, in Kanawha County.

(2) The issuer shall provide benefits pursuant to the final external review decision, including by making payment on a disputed claim, unless or until there is a judicial decision otherwise.

(3) If the issuer files a petition pursuant to this section and the individual substantially prevails, the issuer shall be responsible for the reasonable attorney's fees of the individual.

(b) A decision issued by an independent review organization pursuant to this article may be enforced in the same manner as an order of the commissioner.

(c) This article does not create any new cause of action or eliminate any presently existing cause of action.