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2020 Regulations Update

April 21, 2020 It seems every time we celebrate a New Year we are presented with changes in the California’s Workers’ Compensation system. 2020 was no exception, as revisions of California Code of Regulations, Title 8 became effective January 1, 2020. These changes affect sections 10300 to 10999. This regulatory update marks the largest change and reorganization of the rules since they were adopted. The purpose of reworking the organizational structure of the rules, which were originally adopted in 1966, […]

Permanent Disability Strategies Take Center Stage at 2020 Palm Springs CAAA Convention

April 21, 2020 The 2020 CAAA Convention took place in Palm Springs, and while we are used to seeing the applicants’ bar come up with creative approaches to increase permanent disability, given that permanent disability can be a primary cost-driver for a claim’s value, it is not surprising that strategies focused on increasing PD were once again a hot topic. One novel idea was focused on a broad reading from the AMA Guides 5th Edition. In giving general examples of […]

Court of Appeal Awards a Solid Win to Defendants on Total Disability Cases! Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation & SCIF v. WCAB (Fitzpatrick)

September 27, 2018 On September 25, 2018, in a case certified for publication, the Third District Court of Appeal in Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation & SCIF v. WCAB (Fitzpatrick) found no basis for concluding that Labor Code §4662(b) provides a second independent path to permanent total disability “in accordance with the fact.” This is a solid statutory win for defendants. In this new case, the Court took on the WCAB’s liberal interpretation of §4662(b) and the phrase “in accordance […]