Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 21 Sec. 604

  • Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Labor or the Commissioner's designee. See
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • employee: means an individual who has entered into the employment of, or works under contract of service or apprenticeship with, an employer. See
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

§ 604. Manner of trying causes; evidence

The Commissioner shall not be bound by common law or statutory rules of evidence or by technical or formal rules of procedure except as provided in this chapter, but he or she may make such investigation or inquiry or conduct such hearing or trial in such manner as to ascertain the substantial rights of the parties. Declarations of the deceased employee concerning his or her accident may be received in evidence and shall be sufficient to establish the accident and the injury, if corroborated by circumstances or other evidence.