News and Events
Congratulations for Passing Workers' Compensation Specialist Exam!
January 2010
LFLM is please to announce the following attorneys have passed the Workers' Compensation Specialist Exam and are awaiting certification from the Board of Legal Specialization:
Brian Egan (SF); Lucy Greenway (Oak); Susan Hastings (Oak); Matthew Hurlimann (SD); G. Charles Robertson (SD); Diane Williamson (Oak)
No Saving Grace to COLA Bubble-Over Case from 6th District
December 14, 2009
We were swallowed up by an unhealthy overdose of denial in the concluding remarks to our e-blast on the first case interpreting the COLA statute, section 4659(c), Duncan v. WCAB (XYZZX SJO2), out of the 6th Appellate District in San Jose (no. H034040). Cold, wintry reality has set in and tells us that there appears to be no grace, saving or otherwise, in the statute to allow for caps on COLAs.
Mileage Rate for Medical and Medical-Legal Travel Expenses Will Decrease January 1, 2010
DWC Newsline
Newsline No. 61-09
December 14, 2009
The mileage rate for medical and medical-legal travel expenses will be decreased to 50 cents per mile effective Jan. 1, 2010. This rate must be paid to travel on or after Jan. 1, 2010 regardless of the date of injury.
Labor Code section 4600, in conjunction with Government Code section 19820 and the Department of Personnel Administration regulations, establishes the rate payable for mileage reimbursement for medical and medical-legal expenses and ties it to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published mileage reimbursement rate.
The mileage rates for 2010 reflect slightly lower transportation costs compared to a year ago. The updated mileage reimbursement form is posted on the DWC Web site at http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/forms.html.
Court Of Appeal Causes COLA Bubble-Over for the Holidays
December 2, 2009
The Sixth Distrrict Court of Appeals has been kind enough to construct a major bump in the road for defendants with regard to cost-of-living adjustment calculations in life pension and permanent total disability cases for injuries after 1/1/03.
Court Of Appeal Limits Employer's Liability In Compensable Consequence Case To Reasonable Geographic Area
October 14, 2009
The Court of Appeal has limited employer's compensability liability to a reasonable geographic area in the matter of Esquivel v. WCAB et al.
Michael W. Laughlin Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Congratulations to Michael Laughlin!
The Executive Committee of the California State Bar's Workers' Compensation Section has awarded Michael W. Laughlin the 2009 Steve Jimenez Special Recognition Award for Lifetime Achievement.
This annual award recognizes outstanding attorneys and judges who have made significant lifetime contributions to the workers' compensation community. This state-wide recognition of professionalism and substantial influence is a well deserved honor for Michael Laughlin, who has been practicing California workers' compensation defense since 1965.
Mr. Laughlin is a founding member of Laughlin, Falbo, Levy & Moresi LLP (est. 1985). Our firm has an overwhelming appreciation and respect for all he has done and is especially proud he is receiving this award.
The award reception will take place on Friday, September 11, 2009 in San Diego.
Roger Levy Nominated for LexisNexis Workers' Compensation Notable People for 2008
Congratulations Roger Levy! Mr. Levy is recognized as "The Visionary".
Roger Levy has been listed by LexisNexis as one of its Workers' Compensation Notable People for 2008. The LexisNexis list is created by soliciting nominations from national and state organizations and experts throughout the Workers' Compensation field.
Complete list of Workers' Compensation Notable People for 2008
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