I filed a claim on my own and now I have received a referral to the hearing docket, what does this mean?

Simply put, it means you are going to Court. The employer or the insurance company has advised that Virginia Workers Compensation Commission that some part of your claim has NOT been accepted. As a result, a Deputy Commissioner of the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission will be assigned to handle the hearing. Your case will be set for a hearing in the near future. You are at a terrible disadvantage should you try to handle the hearing on your own. While the Deputy Commissioners will likely give you some leeway, just because you are unrepresented, you will still be at a disadvantage going forward. I strongly recommend that you hire a qualified lawyer to represent you at the hearing.