For the Best Defense
Many claim professionals are unaware that our California workers’ compensation system allows the public free limited access to records of the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board through the EAMS computer database. EAMS is an acronym for “Electronic Adjudication Management System” which has been used by the WCAB since November 17, 2008. It replaced the Electronic Data Exchange …
EAMS Case Search: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Due to the nature of certain industrial injuries, there are times during the life of a workers’ compensation claim when an injured worker may require QME examinations by physicians specializing in different fields of medicine. For example, a worker with alleged foot, ear and heart injuries will probably require evaluations by a podiatrist, otologist, and …
Requesting an Additional QME: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
We will begin today’s blog by asking our readers to answer four questions concerning the role an injured worker’s occupation plays when calculating a PD rating. Question #1: If a worker performs two occupations for an employer, which occupation is used when rating PD? Answer: The occupation producing the greater rating is used. Question #2: …
Occupational Adjustment: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
We suspect that many claim professionals have wondered what workers’ compensation law has to say as to employees injured as a result of an act of terrorism. Sadly, injury by that scenario is not that far-fetched. Case in point, the terrorist attack which occurred on December 2, 2015, in San Bernardino resulting in the death …
Terrorism Claims: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Sadly, even though opioid prescriptions have significantly decreased over the past two years, the number of drug overdose deaths occurring in the United States each year are at epidemic levels. Overdose death attributed to prescription drugs in 2019 was recorded at a staggering 70,639. In 2020 the number of deaths increased to 91,799, then to …
Accidental Drug Overdoses: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
We are substantially certain that our readers will not be surprised to learn that certain applicant attorneys are known for issuing a dozen or more document production subpoenas in every case they handle. The subpoenas almost always include one which seeks the applicant’s personnel file. These attorneys can’t wait to read what the employer has …
Employment Records: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Allow us to begin today’s blog with a quick history lesson. It was the year 2002. The California Department of Insurance was literally swamped with complaints from employers concerning the cost of workers’ compensation insurance. In addition, injured workers complained about poor claims adjuster performance, while physicians squawked about medical bill reviewers improperly applying the state’s …
Education Certificates: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Today we will discuss a topic that we believe has never been presented to claims professionals anywhere in this state. It’s called “Parental Rights in Workers’ Compensation.” Allow us to begin by asking two questions. As strange as it may seem both scenarios are possible. Let’s begin our analysis by examining the first question where …
Today’s blog focuses on when permanent disability advances (PDAs) are to be paid. The rules pertaining to PDAs have been somewhat murky ever since the governing law was amended eleven years ago. Prior to 2013, the only statute which addressed the payment of PDAs was Labor Code § 4650(b), which directed that PDAs begin within 14 …
When to Pay PDAs: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Today’s blog tells the story of a long-forgotten workers’ compensation experiment that occurred back in 2003. It was a time when there was a significant shortage of worker’s compensation adjusters. Coincidentally, in 2003 our state economy was in a recession with an unusual number of recently laid off and out of work college graduates receiving Unemployment …
The EDD Experiment: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Allow us to give fair warning that some readers may find today’s blog to be disturbing. A great deal of needless trouble and frustration is currently occurring due to the inability of a few medical bill review companies to recognize a simple DWC form. Their actions are causing many problems in workers’ compensation, especially for …
Medical Bill Review: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
There are times when a workers’ compensation claims administrator will admit industrial injury but deny disability benefits due to a nature and extent defense. In addition, some claims professionals are confused when to acknowledge an event as being an incident as opposed to an accident. The purpose of today’s blog is to explore the nature and extent …
Nature and Extent: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
