What You Will Learn:

 

*When an Injury is Compensable Under the Workers' Compensation Act

*Medical Benefits in Workers' Compensation Cases

*Temporary Total Disability (TTD) and the Concept of Average Weekly Wage (AWW)

*Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) and Apportionment

*Evaluating a Workers' Compensation Claim for Possible Settlement

*Process and Procedures Basics:  Pre-hearing Matters and Office of Administrative Courts (OAC) Hearings

 

Who Should Attend:

 

*Attorneys Who are New to Workers' Compensation Practice (or who need a refresher!)

*Claims Adjusters and Other Industry Professionals

*Workers' Compensation Paralegals

*Human Resources Professionals

*Anyone Who Wants to Get Up to Speed Fast on the Most Important Concepts in Workers' Compensation Law!

 

 

New to the world of workers' compensation law in Colorado? Need a refresher? If so, you owe it to yourself to attend “Colorado Workers' Compensation Law: The Fundamentals” on January 21, 2009!

 

Our expert, veteran workers' compensation law faculty, including both claimant and respondent attorneys, will lead you, step-by-step, through the core law and procedures in this fascinating area. From the statutory basis of a Colorado workers' compensation claim, to the medical treatment process, to the ins and outs of pre-hearing and hearing practice, you will get up to speed fast!

 

Our program begins at the beginning with a discussion of when someone is eligible for coverage, and which injuries are compensable, under Colorado's Workers' Compensation Act. You then learn all the basics of medical benefits in workers' compensation cases, temporary total disability, and the “average weekly wage.”  After lunch on your own, you return for more intensive learning in the areas of permanent partial disability, apportionment, claim evaluation, and the basics of the workers' compensation pre-hearing and administrative hearing process.

 

 

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM

 

9:00 AM – 9:05 AM

 

9:05 AM – 9:55 AM

 

Topics include:

 

*Employer⁄Employee relationship

*Scope and course of employment

*Arising out of employment

*What is a compensable "injury"?

*Special circumstances

*Defenses To compensability

 

 

9:55 AM – 10:05 AM

 

10:05 AM – 10:30 AM

 

10:35 AM – 11:25 AM

 

Topics include:

 

*Injured worker's statutory right to receive medical treatment

*Employer selection of the Authorized Treating Physician (ATP)

*The “designated provider list” (DPL)

*How the Division's Rule 8 works

*How to request a change in physician

*The issue of “maximum medical improvement” (MMI)

*When medical treatment benefits can continue after MMI has been reached and a final award has been made

 

 

11:25 AM – 11:35 AM

 

11:35 AM – 12:00 PM

 

Topics include:

 

*When is the worker's disability “temporary” as opposed to “permanent”?

*When is the worker's disability “total” as opposed to “partial”?

*Average weekly wage (AWW) defined

*Why the concept of AWW is important

*Hourly, daily, and salaried workers

*Health insurance costs

*Issues with the self-employed

 

 

12:00 PM – 1:15 PM

 

1:15 PM – 1:40 PM

 

1:45 PM – 2:35 PM

 

Topics include:

 

*Permanent Partial Disability defined

  -Requirements

  -Scheduled impairment benefits

  -“Whole person” impairment benefits

  -Vocational rehabilitation

  -Calculating the amount of benefits

*Apportionment basics

 

 

2:35 PM – 2:45 PM

 

2:45 PM – 3:35 PM

 

Topics include:

 

*Valuing the case and assuring the appropriate reserves

*Managing client expectations

*Use of the settlement conference

*Demand letters

*Overview of a typical settlement agreement

*What the claimant's attorney should do when the claimant won't settle (but should)

 

 

3:40 PM – 4:30 PM

 

Topics include:

 

*Pre-hearing process and procedures with the pre-hearing administrative law judge (ALJ)

  -Meetings and conferences with the Pre-hearing ALJ

  -Discovery process and common discovery issues

  -Settlement discussions

  -Rules to be followed

  -Forms needed

*Preparing for an evidentiary hearing before an OAC ALJ

  -Process, procedures, forms, and venue of the hearing

  -What to expect in terms of

     o Direct examination

     o Cross examination

     o Rules of evidence and objections

*The ALJ's decision and order

*Appeal options

 

 

4:30 PM

 

 

Richard A. Bovarnick, Esq.

Clifton, Mueller & Bovarnick, PC

Denver, CO

 

Matt Busch, Esq.

Law Offices of Matt Busch

Loveland, CO

 

Janet L. Frickey, Esq.

The Frickey Law Firm

Lakewood, CO

 

Nancy C. Hummel, Esq.

Ritsema & Lyon, PC

Denver, CO

 

Lynda S. Newbold, Esq.

Ruegsegger Simons Smith & Stern, LLC

Denver, CO

 

Charlotte A. Veaux, Esq.

Law Office of William A. Alexander, Jr., PC

Colorado Springs, CO

 

 

Patricia Jean Clisham, Esq.

Clisham, Satriana & Biscan, LLC

Denver, CO

 

Robert Erickson, Esq.

Pinnacol Assurance

Denver, CO

 

Tama L. Levine, Esq.

Blackman & Levine, LLC

Denver, CO

 

Lynn P. Lyon, Esq.

Ritsema & Lyon, PC

Denver, CO

 

 

Denver: CLE Classroom, 1900 Grant Street, Suite 300

Grand Junction: 1250 East Sherwood Drive

Colorado Springs: 421 South Tejon Street, Suite 100