Blog Topic

Workers' Compensation

WC insurance industry and Medical Marijuana
Posted by: Mitch Short
March 05, 2010

Medical marijuana has been all over the local news for the past 9 months.

Colorado Law Requires All Employers To Carry Workers Compensation Insurance
Posted by: Matt O'Brien
May 20, 2009

The state of Colorado requires that all employers carry workers' compensation insurance. If the employer does not carry workers' compensation insurance, the business or the owner individually,...

Settling Workers' Compensation Claims In Colorado
Posted by: Michael Kaplan
April 03, 2009

Settling one's workers' compensation case in Colorado can be quite daunting when considering that in exchange for a certain sum of money, the injured worker will give up any and all future workers' compensation rights and benefits as it pertains to their instant case.

Three Things to Ask When Hiring a Colorado Lawyer for Your Work Injury
Posted by: Britton Morrell
March 18, 2009

Few decisions are as difficult to make as choosing the best lawyer to help you for your case - particularly when you already face the stress, lost income, and pain that comes from being injured. Unless you have experience in the legal system - you may not even know what to look for when deciding what which lawyer is best for you.

As an attorney, these are three things I would ask any lawyer I was considering to hire help me:

The Cost of Not Hiring a Workers' Compensation Attorney
Posted by: Britton Morrell
September 25, 2008

We are all familiar with the cost of doing things, but sometimes it is difficult to appreciate the very real cost of not doing something. Several of my clients tell me that the adjuster had attempted to persuade them from talking with an attorney saying, "Why give your attorney 20% of what I am already willing to give you?" This argument seems to hold water until you look at what workers with attorneys receive compared to those who did not hire an attorney.

Safety Rule Violation & Workers' Comp Benefit Reduction
Posted by: Matt O'Brien
September 08, 2008

Fault is not an issue in determining whether a workers' compensation claim is compensable. Therefore...

Workers' Compensation Settlements
Posted by: Michael Kaplan
September 03, 2008

What does it mean to settle a workers' compensation case in Colorado? Injured workers are often approached by the workers' compensation carrier to settle their case. The majority of the time, what it means to settle one's case is to waive future potential workers' compensation benefits.

Workers' Compensation & Physical Restrictions
Posted by: Matt O'Brien
August 05, 2008

At various times throughout a Colorado workers' compensation claim, a doctor will assign an injured worker with physical restrictions. These restrictions are given to prevent further injury and to protect the person from potentially harmful activities.

Workers' Compensation Physician Selection
Posted by: Matt O'Brien
July 14, 2008

If an individual is injured at work, it is important to seek an attorney's counsel quickly for many different reasons. One of the main reasons concerns the injured worker and the medical care he or she will receive through the workers' compensation system. The beginning of a workers' compensation case is crucial: following the injury, the injured worker is sent to receive care with a physician selected by the workers' compensation insurance carrier..

What is the Colorado DIME Process?
Posted by: Michael Kaplan
July 14, 2008

According to Colorado Workers' Compensation rules of procedure, after an injured worker is placed at maximum medical improvement (MMI), released from care and given an impairment rating by their authorized workers' compensation physician, the worker has the right to challenge those opinions by going through the Colorado Division Independent Medical Examination (DIME) process. The DIME process is where a separate and independent physician reviews the injured worker's medical records and performs a thorough exam of the body part(s) that were affected by the work-related injury. For all intents and purposes, the DIME physician is the means in which the injured worker gets a second opinion. The DIME physician will address MMI, impairment and apportionment. Also inherent to the DIME's opinions is the issue of causation. In other words, the DIME will determine what the cause was for the work-related conditions.

Workers' Compensation Choice of Physician Rule
Posted by: Matt O'Brien
July 14, 2008

Recently, I have received several questions regarding the new "choice of physician" rule in workers' compensation cases in Colorado. Many of my workers' compensation clients have asked me if this means they can choose any doctor they like. The simple answer to that is: maybe.

Colorado Workers' Compensation System Conflicts
Posted by: Michael Sawaya
July 09, 2008

It has been said that over 60,000 workers' compensation claims are filed in Colorado yearly and only 10% of whom seek an attorney's assistance with the same.

Unfortunately, the Colorado Workers' Compensation system is far from perfect; there is an inherent conflict of interest within the system. That conflict stems from greed. Big business is very concerned with its "bottom line" and covets as much control as possible in order to protect that line.