We are tempted to say that it is just déjà vu all over again. But in reality, it is really just the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon all over again. Baader-Meinhof is the phenomenon where you come across some unique piece of information that might have been previously unknown to you; and then, almost inexplicably, you encounter the…
Ode to Employer Ignorance (Or the Perils of an Inbred Hiring Strategy)
An interesting thing happened when I was walking into the gym the other day. It was a reminder of the constant peril that employers face regarding the less than stellar behavior of their employees. That peril is multiplied when combined with the improper hiring and training of front-line supervisors. Now, I know what you are…
Who Will Establish "Excellence in Recovery" Best Practices for Workers' Compensation Claims Handling?
Earlier this week we discussed the concept of “caseload caps” for adjusters and claims handlers who manage workers’ compensation injury cases. It was a topic that produced a decent amount of comment activity, both within this blog, on LinkedIn and elsewhere. Many people appeared more prepared to endorse the idea than originally anticipated. Some added…
Coming to WCI? Help Kids' Chance Help Give Kids' the World
Every year the Workers’ Compensation Institute, as part of their annual educational conference in Orlando, holds a service day supporting the non-profit organization Give Kids the World (GKTW). Last year over 1,100 volunteers from the workers’ compensation industry turned out for the effort. 44 of them represented Kids’ Chance of Florida for the day. This…
Should There Be Workers' Comp Caseload Caps?
It was one of the more controversial suggestions to come out of a recent Hot Seat Webinar that was held July 9th. The topic was “Delays in Treatment for Compensable Workers’ Comp Claims,” and the guests joining Judge David Langham and myself were Kentucky Commissioner Bob Swisher and Florida attorney Rosemary Eure. Much of the conversation had…
Screwing Up Workplace Violence Bigly
We know that workplace violence has become a very big issue in the world of workers’ compensation. The nation continues to see an uptick in the number of incidents and severity of injuries from this phenomenon. While the vast majority of victims of workplace violence remain in the healthcare industry, those people who deal with…
Tragic Toddler Grease Trap Death Is a Double-Edged Sword of Liability
The death of a 3-year-old boy yesterday in Rochester, NY was a tragic accident; one that has both potential workers’ compensation and tort liabilities for the owner of the business where he died. Authorities say he fell into an unsecured grease trap behind a Tim Horton’s Restaurant. He had been taken to the business by his mother, who was…
Thanks, and Congrats to Kids' Chance of New Jersey
This morning I am sitting in the airport in Newark, NJ, waiting for my flight home. I had the opportunity to attend the Annual Kids’ Chance of New Jersey Gala last night, as well as the honor of being their Keynote speaker. It was an outstanding event that not only raised fund for the organization,…
Florida's PEO Coverage Gap Part 2: Striking a Nerve
As I’ve noted previously, the workers’ compensation industry is a relatively quiet one when it comes to responding or commenting to online articles and social media. I’ve observed that both on this website and on various social media platforms such as within LinkedIn groups. Normally, while membership and readership appear high, the interactive commenters are…
Tomorrow's Hot Seat Webinar Topic One of Most Contentious: What Causes Delays in Treatment?
We are set to launch the ninth episode of the Hot Seat Webinar program tomorrow, entitled “Delays in Treatment for Compensable Workers’ Comp Claims.” It will be webcast at 1:00PM eastern and is sponsored by Safety National. The program is described as taking “an in depth look at the issues of delayed treatment in workers’ comp…