When attempting to settle an expensive/high exposure claim for workers’ compensation benefits have you considered a structured settlement funded by an annuity? If not, our blog today will be of interest as we will put to rest three prevailing myths about settling via an annuity. Note, to abide by our one-minute blog time limit we …
New Laws of 2024: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
Hello and Happy New Year’s wishes to our friends, clients, and colleagues in the workers’ compensation claims community! F&B is proud to publish the 100th edition of our “60 Second Seminar” series of workers’ compensation educational blogs, providing practical, succinct, and timely information for use by insurers, claims administrators, employers, and brokers! It is also …
New Laws of 2024: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Collecting TD and SDI: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
Every workers’ compensation claims examiner has likely been told that an injured worker may not collect temporary disability and state disability insurance (SDI) benefits at the same time. We can confidently state that every examiner who received such training was given inaccurate information, as it is perfectly legal under certain circumstances for an injured worker …
Collecting TD and SDI: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Requesting a Resignation: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
For years it was a common practice for employers to require a resignation before settling a workers’ compensation claim by way of Compromise and Release; however, all that changed on 1/1/20 when Assembly Bill 749 was enacted, amending Code of Civil Procedure §1001, prohibiting mandatory resignation as a condition to the settlement of an employment …
Requesting a Resignation: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Lien Tactics: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
When it comes to invoices from medical providers and other vendors, the standard rule in workers’ compensation claims administration is to pay what the administrator believes is owed and object to the balance. Unfortunately, the balance often becomes a point of contention resulting in a lien being filed with the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, and …
Lien Tactics: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Termination of Death Benefits: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
We believe most claims professionals are aware that there two methods which allow for termination of workers’ compensation death benefits. They are: Inexplicably, a third method for termination of death benefits has also been put into use, a method which is not only illegal but subject to penalty. Various claims administrators are terminating death benefits once …
Termination of Death Benefits: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
The Waiting Period: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
Surprisingly, workers’ compensation claims professionals continue to encounter problems administering the three-day temporary disability waiting period. One misunderstanding concern whether the waiting period is applied or waived when an injured worker returns to work on light duty at half-days immediately following an injury. In our blog today we will tackle some of the basic questions …
The Waiting Period: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Deviation Injuries: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
It is common for employees to be injured when commuting on company business, and transportation injuries are typically deemed to be within the course and scope of employment. However, an exception exists if the accident occurs during what’s known under the law as a “deviation,” but many claims’ professionals may be surprised to learn that …
Deviation Injuries: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Offering Light Duty: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
There is little doubt that offering light duty helps an employer control its workers’ compensation claims cost. Unfortunately, some injured workers would rather remain on disability than return to work. They offer a variety of imaginative excuses for not returning to work, and many often succeed. Employers are usually aware ahead of time which workers …
Offering Light Duty: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Why Physicians Quit Comp: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
In a previously published blog, entitled “Physicians Who Quit Comp,” we cautioned the claims industry that a campaign was being conducted encouraging medical providers to withdraw from the workers’ compensation system. Specifically, we said: “Currently, an educational campaign is being waged within the medical community where physicians are being encouraged to leave workers’ compensation under …
Why Physicians Quit Comp: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Companion CT Claims: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
It is common practice for applicant attorneys to file two applications for adjudication on behalf of an injured worker even when only one body part has been impacted. The first claim will identify a specific date of injury while the other will be for a continuous trauma to the same body part. It happens all …
Companion CT Claims: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More
Streamlining UR: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims Handling
Have you ever asked yourself, “Can medical treatment be streamlined by allowing the claims examiner to authorize medical services instead of involving Utilization Review (UR)”? Under current law examiners may authorize requested medical services but are not allowed to deny or modify treatment requests based on medical grounds. The examiner may only deny or delay …
Streamlining UR: A 60-Second Seminar in Workers’ Compensation Claims HandlingRead More