LexisNexis Workers' Comp Free eNewsletter: The Stroke Belt

Vol 2, Issue 32

Find Solutions & Strategies August 8, 2011

The Stroke Belt and Workers' Comp

What do fried chicken, fried okra, and fried fish have to do with workers' comp? Quite a bit...

In This Issue

-STROKE BELT

-LARSON'S SPOTLIGHT: 5 RECENT CASES: Attorney's Fee, Average Weekly Wage, Co-Worker Violence, Retaliation, Heart Attack

-BLOGS @ LEXISNEXIS WORKERS' COMP COMMUNITY: Fraud, TX performance based oversight, MSA structured settlement

-MSP COMPLIANCE BOOK

-NATIONAL NEWS

-STATE NEWS

-eNEWSLETTER ARCHIVES

A Note From The Editor

Dear WC Professionals:

Thanks to Thomas A. Robinson for his southern perspective on the "stroke belt" states and for explaining the workers' comp implications.

Sincerely,
Robin E. Kobayashi, JD

LexisNexis Editorial Content & Product Development

robin.e.kobayashi@lexisnexis.com

State Jurisdiction & Reciprocity

Did the Florida Legislature Fumble in Trying to Limit Workers' Comp Coverage for Pro Football Players?

The Florida legislature thought it had found a way to keep players in Florida from scoring in the California workers' compensation end zone. But there could be a potential flaw in Florida's new reciprocity statute.

To purchase the article at the LexisNexis Bookstore, click here.

the stroke belt

Living (and Dying) in the Stroke Belt and the Implications for Workers' Compensation, by Thomas A. Robinson, J.D., M.Div.

In the South, we take great pride in a form of perverse magic: we can turn a green vegetable into a stroke.

It's pretty simple, really. You take some freshly picked okra, wash it, slice it in half-inch sections, dip the sections in buttermilk, dredge them in corn meal that's been seasoned with liberal amounts of salt and crushed black & red pepper, and fry the morsels in bacon fat until they're golden brown.

The taste is incredible. Repeat the procedure regularly for several decades and it's also deadly.

Fried okra, fried squash, fried fish, even fried grits -- it's the food I was raised on. It's the food I've been trying unsuccessfully to wean myself from for the past several decades. It's the food that I try to counter each morning with Lisinopril (for hypertension) and a low dose aspirin (to help "thin" my blood). It's the food of the "Stroke Belt." Read more.

Larson's spotlight: 5 recent cases you should know about

5 spotlight Larson's Spotlight reports noteworthy workers' comp cases each week. This list was compiled by Thomas A. Robinson, a staff writer for Larson's Workers' Compensation Law, the nation's leading authority on workers' compensation law.

> Read the summaries & court decisions.

1. PA: Limits on Contingency Fees Ok'd By Court

2. MS: Business Owner Saves Comp Premiums and Successfully Limits Injured Worker's AWW Computation by Dividing Business Into Two Parts

3. PA: Fired Worker May Sue Employer Under State Crime Victims' Protection Act

4. TX: Company Vice-President's Negative Comment Upon Learning of Worker's Comp Claim Provides Important Evidence of Retaliation

5. PA: Injured Worker's Fatal Heart Attack While Holding Termination Letter is Not Compensable

free enewsletter

Email logo If you haven't signed up yet for this free enewsletter, simply send your full name and email address with your request for the national enewsletter to:

Robin.E.Kobayashi@lexisnexis.com

blogS at the lexisnexis workers' comp law community

Workers' Comp Fraud Blotter - Recent Arrests, Charges, Convictions, and Investigations (8/4/2011) - Lawyer Found Dead In His Garage After Accusations of Stealing From Clients, by LexisNexis Workers' Compensation Law Community Staff. Read it.

Texas: Performance Based Oversight, by Stuart Colburn, Esq. Read it.

MO: Commission Awards PTD for Depression, Reversing Findings of Temporary Award, by Martin Klug, Esq. Read it.

MO: Slip at Work Becomes Slippery Slope for Employer, by Martin Klug, Esq. Read it.

Delay in Calculating a Structured MSA Can Cost You, It's Free, So Why Wait? by Teddy Snyder, Esq. Read it.

how to achieve medicare secondary payer compliance

The Complete Guide to Medicare Secondary Payer Compliance

Jennifer C. Jordan, Esq., Editor-in-Chief

To order, go to www.lexisnexis.com/Medicare.

Medicare Secondary Payer Compliance is an elusive area of law - tucked away in various public laws, statutes, regulations and CMS guidance materials.

Worse, many people don't realize that the CMS approval process for MSAs is voluntary-and carries an inherent cost.

That's why you need this all-in-one handbook ...

Authored by the leading expert in the field of the MSP, "The Complete Guide to Medicare Secondary Payer Compliance" is the only available resource written by an industry insider with a deep understanding and practical knowledge about this highly complex and evolving area of the law.

For the first time, you'll find all relevant pieces of the law in one accessible place. And by understanding what CMS wants-and why it wants it-you'll be better able to:

● Take control of your insurance settlements

● Avoid pitfalls, delays and penalties

● Comply with reporting requirements

You'll also learn that CMS' preference may not be the only way to achieve MSP compliance.

Attorneys agree! This is the first comprehensive resource for achieving Medicare Secondary Payer Compliance.

"Ms. Jordan and her contributors provide concise, practical analysis of the multiple layers and nuances of Medical Secondary Payer compliance. The Guide is a valuable resource for plaintiff and defense counsel, as well as insurance carriers, employers, and third party administrators."

- Ronald E. Weiss, Esq., Hamberger & Weiss, Rochester, New York.

"The range of topics included in the book and updates is a beacon of wisdom in the confusing MSP compliance field."

- Tim Nay, Esq., Law Offices of Nay & Friedenberg, Portland, Oregon. Mr. Nay is a co-founder of the National Alliance of Medicare Set-Aside Professionals (NAMSAP).

"I have a copy of Jennifer Jordan's book The Complete Guide to Medicare Secondary Payer Compliance and I am most impressed by same! I have recommended it to a number of attorneys here in Georgia."

- Richard C. Kissiah, Esq., Kissiah & Lay, Alpharetta, Georgia.

"Finally, someone delivers a clear, concise reading in this area, with some definitive answers for both lawyers and claims specialists and accurate reporting dealing with MSP compliance and MSA allocations with all of the necessary resources found in one place."

- Brad Bleakney, Esq., Bleakney & Troiani. Read his complete review at Illinois Workers Compensation blog.

An excellent new book ... a one-of-a-kind resource ... [Jennifer C. Jordan's] straight-talk is much appreciated when it comes to this illusive area of the law."

- Rebecca Shafer, JD, President, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc.