Workers' Compensation

Recent Posts

California: Compromise and Release and Medicare Set-Aside: Informed Consent and Assumption of Risk
Posted on 15 Jun 2016 by Calif. WCAB Noteworthy Panel Decisions Reporter

Liability for future medical treatment for a work related condition cannot be transferred to Medicare without its permission In Alvarenga v. Scope Industries , 2016 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS --, the WCAB panel rescinded the WCJ’s order approving... Read More

A Healthier Workforce: The Hot Debate Over Employer Responsibility and Employee Incentives
Posted on 13 Aug 2015 by Jennifer Jordan

By Jennifer C. Jordan, Esq., General Counsel, MEDVAL LLC A Medicare set-aside (MSA) is sometimes like an exercise in accident reconstruction. And when the MSA gets ugly, as they frequently do, it is typically because of some factor other than the industrial... Read More

Federal: Bankruptcy Trustee Has No Claim to Worker’s MSA Held in Bank Account
Posted on 9 Jan 2015 by Larson's Spotlight

A Federal Bankruptcy Court in Pennsylvania has held in relevant part that a Medicare Set-Aside is not subject to administration by a bankruptcy trustee because it is not property of the bankruptcy estate in spite of the fact that it might be held in a... Read More

North Carolina: Medicare Set-Aside Agreement’s “Seed Money” Must Be Paid Despite Injured Employee’s Death
Posted on 13 Dec 2013 by Larson's Spotlight

In an unusual case showing the importance of careful drafting of settlement agreements, a North Carolina appellate court recently held that an employer’s comp carrier was required to pay a deceased employee’s estate some $19,582.37 as “seed... Read More

Larson’s Spotlight: Top 10 Cases for 2011 That You Should Know About
Posted on 7 Dec 2011 by Larson's Spotlight

It’s time to look back on the past year’s top cases to help us identify possible national trends. While many of these cases are state decisions, there are far reaching implications to be found in each of them. Here’s our selection for... Read More

Workers Comp and the Affordable Healthcare Act
Posted on 3 Jul 2012 by Julius Young

Assuming that Obamacare isn't grievously wounded by Congressional de-funding and that a Romney win in the election doesn't result in repeal of the law, what effect will it have on workers' comp? I've already received several client e... Read More

The WCMSA Conundrum in California
Posted on 10 Jul 2012 by Robert G. Rassp, Esq.

By Robert G. Rassp, Esq. The following email string is true, accurate and correct. It is a typical email string between an applicant’s attorney and a defense attorney. We all have cases like this in our inventories. In this case, the Applicant... Read More

Recent Medicare Set-Aside Changes
Posted on 14 Mar 2012 by Jennifer Jordan

By Jennifer C. Jordan, Esq., General Counsel, MEDVAL, LLC Liability Medicare Set Asides Of the series of memos released by CMS on September 30, 2011, the most notable established a policy for when a liability Medicare set-aside (LMSA) would not be... Read More

Putting the Medicare Cards On the Table: Court Rules That L-MSA Not Required Per the Parties’ Mediation Settlement Agreement
Posted on 19 Jun 2012 by Mark Popolizio, Esquire

By: Mark Popolizio, Esquire, Crowe Paradis Services Corporation In Bruton v. Carnival Corporation , 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 64416 (S.D. Florida May 2, 2012) the court ruled that a liability Medicare set-aside (L-MSA) was not required as part of the settlement... Read More

California WCMSA Case: Did Clinical Need for Medical Treatment Occur Faster Than CMS Process for Approving Medicare Set-Aside?
Posted on 2 Mar 2012 by Jennifer Jordan

By Jennifer C. Jordan, Esq. In California, there is a unique trend compared to the rest of the nation in that the Medicare Set-Aside process is primarily defense driven with less than full disclosure to the Applicants. While not applicable to all employers... Read More

California: No Blanket Rule Precludes Award of Attorney's Fees Based on a Medicare Set-Aside
Posted on 13 Jul 2012 by Calif. WCAB Noteworthy Panel Decisions Reporter

Here's a sneak peek of a recent noteworthy panel decision that will be added soon to the LexisNexis services: Attorney’s Fees; Calculation; C&R Agreements. WCAB, rescinding WCJ’s award of $66,860.30 fee to applicant’s attorney... Read More

California: Can an Attorney Fee Be Requested on a Medicare Set-Aside Trust?
Posted on 9 Aug 2012 by Calif. WCAB Noteworthy Panel Decisions Reporter

Lexis.com subscribers can link to the cites below. As any participant in the workers’ compensation system over the past ten to fifteen years can tell you, if you want to discuss a Compromise and Release, you will likely also have to consider... Read More

Court Grants Hearing in LHWCA Settlement When CMS Declined to Review Case Within Its Thresholds
Posted on 6 Jan 2012 by Jennifer Jordan

By Jennifer C. Jordan, Esq., General Counsel, MEDVAL, LLC Medicare set-asides have become an albatross for all insurers. And despite all their efforts to do exactly what CMS wants in the interest of protecting the Medicare Trust funds, CMS is constantly... Read More

2010 Year in Review: The Top 10 Workers’ Compensation Events in California
Posted on 3 Dec 2010 by Robert G. Rassp, Esq.

In a totally arbitrary and perhaps capricious, non-parametric, unscientific but somewhat peer reviewed way, here are the top ten workers’ compensation events that occurred in 2010. Can you predict what the top ten workers’ compensation events... Read More

California: No Blanket Rule Precludes Award of Attorney's Fees Based on a Medicare Set-Aside
Posted on 13 Jul 2012 by Calif. WCAB Noteworthy Panel Decisions Reporter

Here's a sneak peek of a recent noteworthy panel decision that will be added soon to the LexisNexis services: Attorney’s Fees; Calculation; C&R Agreements. WCAB, rescinding WCJ’s award of $66,860.30 fee to applicant’s attorney... Read More