At the 72nd SAWCA Annual Convention, Bob Wilson, President and CEO of WorkersCompensation.com, gathered a panel of regulatory, industry and legal experts to discuss the latest workers’ compensation issues. Not surprisingly, all of the topics making the panel go hmmm this year relate to the novel coronavirus and its impact on the industry. The panel included: Abbie Hudgens, Administrator of Tennessee’s Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Karl Aumann, Chairman of Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission Greg Gilbert, Chief Reimbursement and Government Relationship Officer for Concentra Wade McGuffy, Founding Partner of Goodman McGuffey Kevin Tribout, Executive Director of Government Affairs at Optum WC
(Read the full article…)

Workers’ compensation insurance carriers have dealt with their fair share of challenges during COVID-19. The rapid degree of change has been more than the industry has ever experienced. At the SAWCA 72nd Annual Convention, this carrier panel uncovered the business challenges and unforeseen impacts resulting from COVID-19. The panel included: Tom Glasson, AIG Mark Walls, Safety National Jeff Eddinger, NCCI Edie Sonn, Pinnacol Assurance Andrew Price, Next Level Administrators Max Koonce, Sedgwick Unique Challenges Walls: Shortly after we had to quickly pivot to a work-from-home environment, we were suddenly besieged with new regulations and data calls from the regulatory community.
(Read the full article…)

With no existing playbook, employers have quickly adjusted and re-adjusted to address the realities of running a business during COVID-19. In this panel at the SAWCA 72nd Annual Conference, employers shared issues, concerns, lessons learned and a vision for the future. The panel included: Susan Emerson, Delta Airlines Tim East, The Walt Disney Company Chris Shaw, Wellstar Health System Liz Smith, Georgia Power Company Steve Figliuolo, Chick-fil-A Andrew Walker, BMW MC Mark Walls, Safety National (moderator) What are some of the operational challenges that COVID-19 has brought to your companies? Smith: We had to be adaptable. We had to make
(Read the full article…)

At the 2020 SAWCA 72nd Annual Convention, regulatory leadership from several states discussed the challenges and regulatory issues presented by COVID-19. Mississippi Senior Administrative Law Judge Deneise Lott served as moderator, allowing each regulator to provide updates on the impact to their state. Florida: As of the end June, Florida had 5,693 COVID-19 claims filed and 2,617 have been denied. They ramped up their data collection by developing an internal team to determine if claims are COVID-19 related, costs and frequency, and other elements to evaluate economic impact, including market constriction and how many workers’ compensation exemptions were being issued.
(Read the full article…)

Slip, trip, and fall incidents are one of the top losses in the retail, restaurant and hospitality environments. This session at the 2020 CLM Workers’ Compensation and Retail, Restaurant and Hospitality Conference examined the biomechanics needed to understand and, when necessary, defend against claimed slip, trip and fall injuries. Speakers included: Tamara Cohen, Senior Biomechanist, ARCCA, Inc. Gwyneth K. Murray-Nolan, Partner/Member, Weiner Law Group LLP Cathleen Rebar, Partner, Rebar Kelly Jayne Spies, Claims Manager, Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group Many companies hire a biomechanical expert to assess slip, trip and fall claimed injuries. These experts consider four main factors when conducting
(Read the full article…)

As risk management evolves with technology, one of the new ways to reduce risk and injury is through drone use. This session at the 2020 CLM Workers’ Compensation and Retail, Restaurant and Hospitality Conference explored how drones are affecting scene investigation, accident reconstruction, surveillance, monitoring disabilities, claims settlements and exposure reduction. Speakers included: Alicia DePalma, Claims Coordinator, Lockton Companies, LLC Cindi Hodges, Claims Manager, Southern States Insurance Exchange Wendy Smith, Attorney, Morgan & Akins, PLLC Joseph Teitelman, Forensic Engineer, ARCCA, Inc. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), otherwise known as drones, have been used to prevent catastrophic injuries, reduce risk of exposure
(Read the full article…)

The longer an injured employee is off work, the less likely they are to ever return. Light duty work is a great way to give injured employees a purpose and facilitate quicker recovery. There are challenges, but it is important to utilize vocational rehabilitation efficiently. In this session at the 2020 CLM Workers’ Compensation and Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Conference, panelists discussed the mindset of injured workers in rehabilitation and finding work available within restrictions. Speakers included: Lindsay Beach, Technical Claims Consultant at Amerisure Mutual Insurance Company Beth Burry-Jackson, Vice President Clinical Operations at Sedgwick Kirsten Kaiser Kus, Partner at
(Read the full article…)

Technology continues to evolve and many parts of our jobs are going digital. This includes solutions for third party administrators and claims managers. In this session at the 2020 CLM Workers’ Compensation and Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Conference, panelists discussed the need for human contact with the claims professional and their skill for handling claims as well as generational differences in technology needs. Speakers included: Jay Gates, Claims Advocate Senior at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Katie Hensley, Brokerage Claims & Safety Manager at Cottingham & Butler Patrick J. Sodoro, Managing Partner at Sodoro, Mooney, and Lenaghan Melissa Icban, Assistant
(Read the full article…)

Use of cannabis, for recreational or medical purposes, is having an effect in workers’ compensation, employment and general liability cases. There are many unanswered questions including whether carriers must pay for medical marijuana, who receives the payments and what liability exists in relation to cannabis still being labeled as a prohibited substance under federal law. In this session at the 2020 CLM Workers’ Compensation and Retail, Restaurant & Hospitality Conference, panelists discussed the critical issues regarding lack of standards for testing and levels of impairment, comparative liability and admissibility of evidence. Speakers included: Stephanie Burnstein, Attorney at Segal McCambridge Singer
(Read the full article…)

The brain is one of the most complex organs in the body, and damage to it can cause a wide range of impairments called disorders of consciousness (DOC). In this session at the 2020 CLM Workers’ Compensation and Retail, Restaurant and Hospitality Conference, a panel discussed the three main disorders of consciousness and, when an injured worker suffers such an injury, how workers’ compensation should respond. Speakers included: Michael Choo, Chief Medical Officer, Paradigm Robert Doherty, Partner, Evans & Dixon, L.L.C. Nancy Schulz, Director – Managed Care, Acuity Insurance Defining and Diagnosing Disorders of Consciousness It is crucial to understand
(Read the full article…)