National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (5/13/2013)

NEWS HEADLINES National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (5/13/2013) National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (5/13/2013) Posted by Sign http://attorney-in-rancho-cucamonga.com/more-information/workers-compensation/ up here for our free workers' compensation enewsletters (National or California Edition) to receive weekly news items. Be sure to select the enewsletter of your choice. NATIONAL NEWS:
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Michael Nolan to Retire as President of CWCI, Alex Swedlow Named Successor

Michael Nolan to Retire as President of CWCI, Alex Swedlow Named Successor Michael Nolan to Retire as President of CWCI, Alex Swedlow Named Successor Posted by California Workers' Compensation Institute Oakland – J. Michael Nolan has announced his retirement as president of the Oakland-based California Workers' Compensation Institute (CWCI) effective May 1, 2013. The Institute's Board of Directors has named Alex Swedlow, CWCI's Executive Vice President for Research, as his successor. "We knew this day would eventually arrive, and extend our sincere appreciation to Michael for all his contributions to CWCI, its members, and the California workers' compensation system" said Tom Rowe, President and CEO of State Compensation Insurance Fund and chairman of the CWCI Board. "Under Michael's steady and insightful leadership, CWCI has remained an indispensable resource for our members and the industry by generating reliable data that helps them make informed business decisions, track industry trends, and analyze key issues in the industry. Michael is leaving us in a very good place, and we thank him for his many years of service." Mr. Nolan joined the Institute in June 2001 as successor to former president, Ed Woodward. His career in the insurance industry spans more than 40 years, including 10 years at Argonaut Insurance, where he served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. During his time with the Institute, Mr. Nolan served on a number of government and private advisory committees, including working groups of the California Division of Workers' Compensation, the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation, the Department of Insurance, the California Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau and RAND Corporation. Additionally, Mr. Nolan periodically testified on workers' compensation issues at public hearings of the California State Legislature and administrative agencies, including last year's workers' compensation reform hearing that culminated in the enactment of the 2012 reform bill (SB 863). "My years with CWCI have been some of the most rewarding of my career," said Mr. Nolan. "I am thankful for the great opportunities I had with CWCI and look forward to its continued success under Alex Swedlow, who brings impressive credentials and deep industry expertise." Following his retirement from CWCI and a short sabbatical, Mr. Nolan intends to re-enter the workers' compensation industry or corporate-regulatory law field. Effective April 2 Mr. Swedlow will become the fourth President at CWCI in almost 50 years. Mr. Swedlow formally joined CWCI in November 2000 as Executive Vice President of Research, where he focused on data development and research on cost drivers, evidence-based medicine, opioid utilization, litigation and alternative dispute resolution, access to care, return-to-work and key performance indicators of the 2002-2004 and 2012 California workers' compensation reforms. Prior to that, Mr. Swedlow was an independent consultant to CWCI from 1988 to 1999, working to enhance data collection and research on topics including medical and indemnity benefit development, 24-hour coverage and medical treatment utilization, and cost drivers. In 1998, he served as the Systems Architect and Project Manager for the Industry Claims Information System (ICIS) Project, which has since grown into one of the largest and most vital transactional data warehouses in the California workers' compensation system. Mr. Swedlow is an active participant in industry advisory committee work and frequently speaks at regional and national conferences and forums. "I'm thrilled to take on this new responsibility and lead CWCI in its next chapter," said Mr. Swedlow. "As CWCI looks to its next 50 years, we have an opportunity to further establish our role as a critical but objective industry resource." ### The California Workers' Compensation Institute, established in 1964, is a private, nonprofit organization of insurers licensed to write workers' compensation in California, as well as public and private self-insured employers, who serve as associate members. CWCI's primary function is to generate reliable, objective data that can be used to identify and monitor system-wide trends, assist members in assessing their own operations, and to analyze key issues of interest to the workers' compensation community and public policymakers. Toward that end, the Institute also produces a wide variety of research publications, provides information and technical training to help industry professionals stay abreast of changes, and serves as a forum where members can consider system-wide issues and reach consensus on practical solutions. CWCI members include insurers that write approximately 80 percent of the workers' compensation business in the state, and two dozen public and private self-insured employers. The Institute's website is www.cwci.org.  
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National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (5/20/2013)

NEWS HEADLINES National and State-by-State Workers' http://attorney-in-temecula.com/more-information/workers-compensation/ Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (5/20/2013) National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (5/20/2013) Posted by Sign up here for our free workers' compensation enewsletters (National or California Edition) to receive weekly news items. Be sure to select the enewsletter of your choice. NATIONAL NEWS:
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National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (3/25/2013)

National and State-by-State http://attorney-in-rancho-cucamonga.com/more-information/workers-compensation/ Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (3/25/2013) National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (3/25/2013) Posted by Sign up here for our free workers' compensation enewsletters (National or California Edition) to receive weekly news items. Be sure to select the enewsletter of your choice. NATIONAL NEWS:
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National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (3/4/2013)

National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (3/4/2013) National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (3/4/2013) Posted by Sign up here for our free workers' compensation enewsletters (National or California Edition) to receive weekly news items. Be sure to select the enewsletter of your choice. NATIONAL NEWS:
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National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (6/3/2013)

National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (6/3/2013) National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (6/3/2013) Posted by Sign up here for our free http://attorney-in-temecula.com/more-information/workers-compensation/ workers' compensation enewsletters (National or California Edition) to receive weekly news items. Be sure to select the enewsletter of your choice. NATIONAL NEWS:
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National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (4/8/2013)

National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (4/8/2013) National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (4/8/2013) Posted by Sign up here homepage for our free workers' compensation enewsletters (National or California Edition) to receive weekly news items. Be sure to select the enewsletter of your choice. NATIONAL NEWS:
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National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (3/4/2013)

National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (3/4/2013) National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (3/4/2013) Posted by Sign up here for our free workers' compensation http://theworkerscompensationdirectory.com/ enewsletters (National or California Edition) to receive weekly news items. Be sure to select the enewsletter of your choice. NATIONAL NEWS:
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CA: Cristine Gondak Appointed WCAB Deputy Commissioner Effective 7/1/2013.

CA: Cristine Gondak Appointed WCAB Deputy Commissioner Effective 7/1/2013. CA: Cristine Gondak Appointed WCAB Deputy Commissioner Effective 7/1/2013. Posted by LexisNexis Workers' Comp Law Community Staff SAN FRANCISCO http://attorney-in-temecula.com/more-information/workers-compensation/ - According to a statement by Chairwoman Ronnie G. Caplane of the California Workers' Compensation Appeals Board: "It is with great pleasure that we announce the appointment of Cris Gondak to the position of Deputy Commissioner at the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board. "As a Deputy Commissioner, Judge Gondak will supervise the Appeals Board's staff attorneys, train and mentor new attorneys and act as counsel to the Commissioners when necessary. She will also participate in drafting regulation, en banc and significant panel decisions as well as participate as a panelist on cases as necessary. "Judge Gondak has been a Workers' Compensation Administrative Law Judge in Santa Rosa and Oakland since 1998. Prior to that, she was a partner at Hanna, Brophy, MacLean, McAleer & Jensen in Oakland where she began her career in workers' compensation law in 1981. Judge Gondak received her JD from U.C. Hastings College of the Law in 1975 and her BA from Stanford University in 1971. "Judge. Gondak is a highly respected Workers' Compensation Administrative Law Judge for her legal acumen, knowledge, evenhandedness and well-reasoned decisions. She brings a wealth of experience and a good sense of humor to the Appeals Board. We look forward to having Judge Gondak join us on July 1, 2013. "Please join us in welcoming Cris Gondak." Source: California Workers' Compensation Appeals Board  
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National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (5/13/2013)

NEWS HEADLINES National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (5/13/2013) National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (5/13/2013) Posted by Sign up here for our free workers' compensation enewsletters (National or California Edition) to receive weekly news items. Be Workers Compensation Attorney sure to select the enewsletter of your choice. NATIONAL NEWS:
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COMMENTARY: OxyContin formulation is good for workers comp, but bad for society

The abuse-deterrent OxyContin formulation was introduced in 2010. Then in 2012, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that abusers preferred to shift from the reformulated OxyContin to heroin and other high-potency opioids. The study relied on surveys completed by 2,566 people entering treatment programs because of opioid dependency. It revealed that before the release of the abuse-deterrent formula, 35.6% favored OxyContin as their primary drug. That dropped to 12.8% just 21 months later, after introduction of the new OxyContin formulation.
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Workers' comp crisis may be costly

Greenhouse said the builders trust collected just $1.5 million in annual premiums, yet its obligation is now $20 million and rising. "There seems to be a disconnect between $1.5 million of premiums and $20 million to $40 million in liabilities," he said. The Workers' Compensation Board, for its part, is trying to ensure that disabled workers and their survivors continue to receive the benefit checks and payments for medical care that they're entitled to. "We're trying to work with the members of the trust to buy ourselves some time," said Michael Papa, an associate attorney with the compensation board, "where members provide just enough money to meet the month-to-month obligations." Meanwhile, legislation that would end the group self-insured trusts, with some exceptions for the healthiest ones, has been proposed by the Paterson administration. Efforts are also under way to relieve trust members of further liabilities with what's called an "assumption of workers' comp liability policy," Woods said.
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Jim Carrey 'fined $72,000 for failing to obtain workers' compensation insurance for art studio employees'

The 51-year-old comedian, who founded the Church of FFC studio in 2011, is being sued by the Workers' Compensation Board of the State of New York, according to TMZ . Legal filings claim Carrey has not paid the fine, forcing the board to take him to court, although the actor denies any wrongdoing. Workers' Compensation Law requires that 'employers obtain and continuously keep in effect workers' compensation coverage for all their employees', according to the WCB website.  Businesses are required to maintain a workers' compensation insurance policy or self-insurance for workers' compensation unless they are declared legally exempt.  The sole proprietor, partners or the president, secretary and treasurer of a corporation are personally liable for failure to obtain workers' compensation or for any lapse in coverage. The website states employers are liable 'for a penalty of $2,000 per 10-day period of noncompliance', in addition to any awards, including compensation and medical costs.  A spokesman for Carrey told TMZ the lawsuit is without merit and vowed to take swift action. 'This is a clerical error on their part and will be cleared up immediately,' the spokesman said. The lawsuit would mark the second linked to Carrey's Church of FFC, located in New York City's West Village. The actor in 2011 battled with city officials to maintain the front wall of his studio, which he had spray painted with the letters 'F.F.C' and a figurehead he calls 'Baba' after city officials had his original street art painted over. Scroll down for video Defiant: Carrey spray painted an exterior wall of his art studio in New York City's West Village on September 8, 2011 'Rebellious': Carrey said he was 'just doing his job' by painting the work, despite the city's determination to erase it In a video obtained by the website, the actor conceded at the time the work would likely be erased again in compliance with local law, although he vowed to continue his plight for street art. 'It's a little short-sighted, painting over art.
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Obituary: Workers' compensation lawyer Greg Heacox was among the nation's best

Heacox was always professional in demeanor, highly prepared, and knew the law and his cases well in a type of litigation that most people don't really understand, Behr said. "People knew who he was; people respected his opinions, and he trained a lot of good people at the firm," Behr said. Heacox's office was filled with photos of his kids — Zach, Sam and Hannah — playing for the Stillwater Ponies and other endeavors. It was a "shrine" to his kids, of whom he was so proud, fellow attorney Lorri Bescheinen had liked to tease. Cosgriff eulogized Heacox at his May 20 services as an honorable man with keen humor and high expectations of the firm's younger attorneys. He told of Heacox's repeated bouts of pneumonia as a child and of his family's move from Renville, Minn., to Bloomington to be closer to his doctor.
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National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (1/28/2013)

National and State-by-State Workers' Comp visit our website News Roundup Powered by Larson's (1/28/2013) National and State-by-State Workers' Comp News Roundup Powered by Larson's (1/28/2013) Posted by Sign up here for our free workers' compensation enewsletters (National or California Edition) to receive weekly news items. Be sure to select the enewsletter of your choice. NATIONAL NEWS:
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