According to a recent University of California Irvine study, scientists predict that with increasing temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns associated with client change, the incidence of human coccidioidomycosis...more
In Meadowbrook Insurance Co. v. Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) (DFS Interpreting), No. C088882, November 21, 2019, the Court of Appeal for the 3rd District of California held that an interpreter company’s failure...more
The Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) issued a unanimous en banc decision on November 14, 2019 clarifying what the initial burden of proof is for a medical-legal lien claimant and what are defendant’s obligations in...more
In its recent significant panel decision, Puni Pa’u v. Department of Forestry/Cal Fire (Filed 09/11/2019), the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) concluded that Saturday is not a working day when applying Labor Code...more
In County of San Diego v. WCAB and Kyle Pike, (D072648, filed 3/6/18), the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, rejected Applicant’s claim that temporary disability benefits are payable more than five years...more
In State Compensation Insurance Fund v. WCAB and Jose Guzman, (H044300, filed 1/30/18, publication order 2/23/18), the California Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District, rejected Applicant’s argument that a psychiatric...more
Workers’ compensation litigation often is driven by disagreement over the apportionment of permanent disability. A vast body of case law exists reflecting the courts’ efforts to resolve conflicts between the provisions of the...more
On January 23, 2017, the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board issued its first en banc decision since April 2016. In Bradley Maxham v. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, ADJ3540065, the Board clarifies...more
In September 2016, Governor Brown signed SB 1160. This bill is intended to streamline emergency medical services and treatment for accepted industrial injuries. To offset the expected costs of less control over early...more
SB 1160, introduced by Senator Mendoza and signed into law September 30, 2016, amends several Labor Code sections affecting authorized medical treatment, utilization review, and lien litigation. Its principal achievement is...more
The Fourth Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal issued its determination in a dispute over utilization review in its opinion of January 5, 2016, Kirk King et al. v. CompPartners, Inc. et al, 2016 S. O. S. In...more
On October 28, 2015, the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Six, published its opinion in Margaret Batten v. Long Beach Memorial Hospital, B260916, in which it determined that a self-procured medical-legal report...more
On June 1, 2015, the California Court of Appeal (Second Appellate District) in Noe v. Superior Court of Los Angeles (Levy) (Case No. B259570) extended the scope of liability under California Labor Code section 226.8....more
On May 13, 2015, the Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, opined in Cynthia Lozano v. WCAB (B258000) that a 2009 amendment to Labor Code section 3212.1 may be applied retroactively to an injurious exposure which...more