When Should I Use an AME?
Date: March, 29, 2010
When Should I Use an AME?
As most of you are now aware, we generally advise and counsel against the utilization of an Agreed Medical Examiner (“AME”) in the vast majority of cases and under most common factual scenarios. For one thing, AME’s tend to reflexively...
WHAT ABOUT THAT REG No. 30?
On February 17, 2009, new regulations governing the QME process became effective, though without much fanfare, let alone controversy
Imbedded within these 97 pages of revised regulations is the so-called “Regulation No. 30,” which has been the subject of mounting concerns and growing frustration...
CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENT GUIDELINES TAKE EFFECT
Date: June 26, 2009, Volume: 09-5, Number: 02
On July 18, 2009, the new Chronic Pain Treatment Guidelines will take effect as part of the Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (“MTUS”) under Labor Code 5307.27. The regulations governing these new treatment guidelines are 34 pages long. However,...
SUPREME COURT RULES ON SMITH/AMAR
Date: May 11, 2009, Volume: 09-5, Issue: 01
Today, the California Supreme Court issued its decision in the Smith/Amar cases. Please recall these cases involved the issue of whether after a stipulated award for future medical care, if an employer applies utilization review and therefore raises the reasonableness...
WCAB DECISIONS IN ALAMARZ/GUZMAN II
Date: September 3, 2009, Volume: 09-6, Issue: 03
On Thursday, September 3, 2009, the WCAB issued its en banc decisions in the long-awaited cases of Almaraz/Guzman ALMARAZ/GUZMAN II: The WCAB has handed down a 51 page 4 to 3 “split decision,” with the majority of Commissioners essentially validating...
WCAB DECISION IN OGILVIE
Date: September 3, 2009, Volume: 09-6, Issue: 04
On Thursday, September 3, 2009, the WCAB issued its en banc decision in Ogilvie: OGILVIE II: “DFEC is now alchemy.” Filed at the same time as its companion decision in Almaraz/Guzman, this en banc decision is in many ways parallel. A number of pages...