Workers’ Comp eNews

One factor that can delay a workers’ compensation claim is when a QME moves offices or changes med-legal services, and doesn’t tell the parties. This can and has literally added months to a claim. Read more

On July 25, 2024, the California Supreme Court issued its decision in Castellanos v. State of California, which upheld the constitutionality of Proposition 22. The reader may recall, perhaps from the massive advertising campaign in 2020, that Proposition 22 was designed to remove “gig” workers from the workers’ compensation system and declare them independent contractors. Read more

On September 22, 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law, California State Assembly Bill 2337 which amends California Labor Code sections 17 and 5003 to allow for electronic signatures throughout all workers’ compensation proceedings.  Read more

Queen Mary, Long Beach, CA Clifford D. Sweet, III receives the Workers’ Compensation Section Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024 at the regal Queen Mary in Long Beach on September 28, 2024. The Honorable Judge Simon Hovakimian of the Long Beach District Office of the WCAB entertained the audience with a humorous speech as he accepted the 2024 Judge of the Year Award at the CLA Workers’ Compensation Section Annual Awards Dinner and Celebration aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach.… Read more

Interviewed by The Honorable Judge Therese DaSilva of the Oakland District Office of the WCAB Read more

Welcome to this edition of the Enews.  It is one of the great honors of my career to have been elected by my colleagues as the new Chair of The California Lawyers Association Workers’ Compensation Section Executive Committee.  Read more

February 2024 CLA Workers’ Compensation Executive Committee Chairman and Master of Ceremonies for the Annual Awards Reception, John Parente, welcomes the honorees and guests and introduces incoming Chairwoman, the Honorable Presiding Judge Sharon Velzy, along with CLA WC Section Manager Tiffany Creswell, presenting the awards to the honorees. Presiding Judge Robert T. Hjelle is recognized for his distinguished career of public service to his nation and the California Judiciary as the CLA WC Section’s Judge of the Year.  Saro Kerkonian,… Read more

“It is appropriate that evaluating physicians consider the vocational evidence as part of their determination of permanent disability, including factors such as whether an injured worker is feasible for vocational rehabilitation (Ogilvie, supra). We note that neither AME was provided the reports from the parties' vocational experts to review.” (emphasis supplied) Read more

At the California legislature in 2023, who were winners and who were losers? Before the year fades, a recap is in order. Overall, it was not a year for big workers’ comp bills. The workers’ comp bills that passed and were signed are largely niche bills. For non-workers’ comp bill affecting California workers, union-sponsored bills had some notable success but some bills failed as well. Workers’ comp winners this year included the following: Read more

Interpreters play a prominent role in the multi-lingual realm of the California workers’ compensation system, and determining the rate of compensation for interpreting services remains a highly litigated issue. Read more