The Defendant's Answer to Claim Petition Under Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act is a legal document that is submitted to the court by the defendant (employer or insurance company) in response to a claim petition filed by the plaintiff (employee) under the Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act. The Defendant's Answer to Claim Petition is typically used to deny any responsibility for the alleged occupational disease, or to provide a defense against the claim. The answer may also include affirmative defenses, such as contributory negligence, statute of limitations, and failure to exhaust administrative remedies. The types of Defendants Answer to Claim Petition Under Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act include a General Denial, Non-Admission, and Special Denial. The General Denial is a blanket denial of all allegations in the petition and requires the plaintiff to prove the facts of their claim. The Non-Admission is a partial denial of some facts in the petition, but does not deny the entire claim. The Special Denial is a denial of specific facts in the petition, and can include affirmative defenses.