Vol. 6, Issue 30

Find Solutions & Strategies                July 27, 2015

QME Selection Process: Timing and Documentation Requirements
In This Issue
A Note From the Editor
qme selection process

Timing and documentation requirements

 

The WCAB has recently issued two noteworthy panel decisions on the QME selection process. In Murray v. County of Monterey, 2015 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 304, the WCAB provided guidance on the contentious QME selection process by interpreting a change in the Labor Code brought about by SB 863 regarding the timely filing of a request for a QME panel. The WCAB granted removal and rescinded the WCJ's finding that the defendant's qualified medical evaluator panel request was untimely and...read more.

supplemental job displacement benefits
A decision of first impression: Two vouchers for separate but overlapping injuries is not double recovery

 

In Silva v LSG Sky Chiefs and Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, 2015 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS --, the WCAB provided guidance on supplemental job displacement benefits by interpreting the Labor Code and related Administrative Rule to entitle qualifying applicants to one voucher at the applicable value for each injury sustained, and declining to merge an applicant's multiple but separate injuries into a single incident so that the applicant's recovery would be limited to one benefit voucher instead of two...read more.
steve jimenez SPECIAL RECOGNITION award recipients 2015 
The State Bar Workers' Compensation Section has announced the 2015 Steve Jimenez Special Recognition Awards. The recipients are:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Michael McClain, Vice President, CWCI, Oakland, CA
Judge of the Year: Hon. Jerold Cohn, Van Nuys, CA
Applicant Attorney of the Year: Joseph Waxman, Law Offices of Joseph C. Waxman, San Francisco, CA
Defense Attorney of the Year: John Armanino, Managing Partner, Hanna, Brophy, MacLean, McAleer & Jensen, San Francisco, CA
Young Attorney of the Year: Jason Marcus, Marcus, Regalado & Marcus, Sacramento, CA
thomas a. robinson on prescription drugs and workers' compensation 

Last week LexisNexis published an Emerging Issues Analysis article on prescription drugs and workers' compensation written by Thomas A. Robinson, the co-author of Larson's Workers' Compensation Law. The article examines opioid use, medical marijuana, physician dispensing, generic drugs, compounded drugs, and drug formularies. We've asked Mr. Robinson some questions related to his research for this article...read more. 

california compensation cases 
Cal Comp CasesNo Due Process Violation in Deferring Third-Party Credit Issue Until After Case-in-Chief Resolved: Cal. Comp. Cases July 2015 Advanced Postings (7/22/2015). Lexis.com and Lexis Advance subscribers can read it.
california news headlines

CA: DWC: Reforms Show Benefit Increases for IWs, Reduced Costs for Employers. 

CA: DWC Enacting New Online QME Form 106 Panel Process.

CA: DWC Posts Adjustments to OMFS (Ambulance Fees Section).

Audit Indicates Problems With DEA Oversight of FECA Claims for Informants.

Instacart Grocery Delivery Announces Employee Option for Independent Contractors.

A.M. Best: Mixed Results for P/C Segment During First Quarter 2015.

NIOSH Sees Need for Rigorous Standards for Gowns Used by Healthcare Workers.

US Labor Secretary Issues Statement on 25th Anniversary of ADA.

eNewsletter archives

Take a deep dive into our past eNewsletters for 2015 and prior...warning - some links to articles may not work...report any linking problems to [email protected].