Social Security Number Validator powered by Verify!
Social Security Number Validator powered by Verify!(R)

As promised!  A new calculator!

Well, check out my new social security number online search tool, powered by Verify.com.  It has some pretty cool features.  You can Verify!®:

  • whether a social security number is in a valid format
  • what year a social security number was issued
  • in what state the social security number was issued
  • whether the person to whom the social security number has passed away

Hey everyone!  More workers compensation calculators!
Hey everyone! More workers' compensation calculators!

I’m working on several more workers compensation calculators.  I’m really excited about one of them in particular.  ((Photo courtesy of Wal mink))

I’ve been working to develop calculators and search engines that are easier to use, easier to understand, and make them available to everyone for less than my competitors.  One benefit to doing it all myself is that I can innovate faster than anyone else.  For instance, my wildly popular Ogilvie calculator was available to beta testers just days after the Ogilvie case came out.

But, this new calculator is something entirely new.  Tantalized?  Titilated?  Tremulous?

Stay tuned!

I think we can dispense with the caption, just this once...
I think we can dispense with the caption, just this once...

A defense attorney friend of mine called me up yesterday to say (I’m paraphrasing here), “You jackass.  Thanks to your Ogilvie proof every Applicant’s attorney I know is calling me up, gloating, and asking for 18 points on top of the whole person impairment on every case!  Why the hell did you do that???” ((Photo courtesy of giuliomarziale))   My first thought was of my favorite quote from Swingers. ((Just for you Ray!)) What I actually said was something along the lines of:

  • It’s not like CAAA wouldn’t have found out about Ogilvie if it wasn’t for Jay Shergill mentioning it in a blog post.
  • Nothing has changed except that now anyone can perform an Ogilvie adjustment calculation in their head. ((And save $129.99 in the process))
  • Someone was going to prove that Ogilvie adds 18 points to the WPI in virtually all litigated workers’ compensation cases, so it might as well be me.

For the moment, let’s set aside the issue of whether California’s injured workers have gotten a raw deal since SB899.  Suppose there’s an injured worker with a finger injury, stays on temporary disability for two years, and is immediately made permanent and stationary.  If instead they get a 0% WPI, they get nothing.  If they gets a 1% WPI, Ogilvie tells us this person gets a DFEC adjusted WPI of 19%.

Nearly every litigated case involves an extended period of temporary disability and a whole person impairment less than 45. ((Hell, a permanent irreversible coma is only a WPI of 80.))  Ogilvie effectively removes the first 18% permanent partial disability levels.

I really don’t think the WCAB intended this consequence.  Don’t get upset with me – as long as Ogilvie is the law I might as well make Ogilvie calculations easy for you, right? ((Remember, just add 18 to the WPI!))

I can fix that!
Broken calculators? Nothing a little duct tape won't fix...

Yesterday from about noon to 4pm the server which hosts this website (and many others) was down.  This unfortunately lead to an interruption for which I apologize. ((Photo courtesy of mhuang))  During this time I was unable to send/receive emails and the website was unavailable.

The hosting company I use is very good.  When there’s been downtime it normally occurs during non-peak hours and is very short in duration.  This was an anomaly.

Anyhow, everything is back on line and open for business.

PDRater workers compensation calculators - so easy a cat can use them!
PDRater workers' compensation calculators - so easy your cat can use them!

What’s that?  You haven’t memorized ALL of the FEC ranks to go with each of the 2005 Permanent Disability Rating Schedule body parts?  ((You’ve only had four years, right?))

Why didn’t you say so?   (Actually, someone did ask for an easy way to look up the FEC ranks back on April 1).

I’ve been working on an easy way to allow a user to look up and quickly insert the FEC rank for the affected body part.  I finally got around to building it a few days ago and launched it this morning.  Please give it a shot and let me know what you think.

Here’s all you need to do to perform your very own Ogilvie calculation:

  1. Go to the permanent disability calculator page. (If you haven’t already signed up for free, this is a good time.)
  2. Click “Ogilvie” Diminished Future Earning Capacity Calculator
  3. Type in the FEC rank OR click “FEC Rank (1-8)” and click on the injured body part.  It will look up the FEC rank and insert it for you.
  4. Type in the “Whole Person Impairment”
  5. Type in the “Post Injury Earnings of Applicant”
  6. Type in the “Post Injury Earnings of Similarly Situated Employees” OR click the link to obtain some information from the EDD Labor Market Information Division (LMID) and US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

If you can think of a way for me to make this calculator even easier, please let me know.  ((Photo courtesy of Vicki’s Pics))