Old versus New Schedule
I heard the best workers’ compensation joke yesterday. ((Photo courtesy of dklimke)) Here goes:
- “Is this an old or new schedule case?”
- “Of course it’s old schedule. Just look how old it is!”
Category: 1997 PDRS
Pocket Calculators
I was at the San Jose WCAB on Friday. Since recently discovering that I could run this website’s permanent disability rating calculators from my phone’s web browser, this was the first time I left my rating manual, money chart, and date wheel in the car. ((Photo courtesy of .robbie))
It was great. That morning I used my phone to:
- Find the ADJ number associated with the legacy SJO number on my file
- Calculate an Ogilvie adjustment of a rating string
- Calculate the number days between two dates
- Perform old and new schedule ratings
- Perform a CVC (combined values chart) calculation ((Oh, and I called my client at one point. Ha!))
The benefit for me is not so much that I don’t have to carry the rating manuals, dollar value charts, and date wheels. Unlike these tools, my phone is not something I’m going to misplace or loan and never see again.
The best part is that if I want to refer back to the calculation I just performed, I can just e-mail it to myself!
PDRater.com calculators for your phone!
I recently discovered that installing the Opera Mini web browser on my “smartphone” has allowed me to run this website’s workers’ compensation calculators from my phone. ((Photo courtesy of storm gal))
Since launching this website I’ve given a lot of thought to support for cell phones. There just are not many phones that can run these calculators. ((It would be more correct to say there are not many phones that support javascript and AJAX well enough to interact with this website in a meaningful fashion.)) The glaring and notable exception is the iPhone.
Amusingly, one of this website’s users has asked for an “iPhone app” version of this site. Seriously, you’ve got one of the few phones that can use this site and that’s not good enough for you? (Thanks Chris!)
This is huge. It means:
- I can blog from the Board ((Probably a lot more interesting for me than it is for you…))
- More importantly, no more bulky money charts or rating manuals at the Board!
Ogilvie, Almaraz, & Guzman: Reconsideration Granted! Amicus Briefs Allowed!
Sometimes even the WCAB needs more time to think. ((Photo courtesy of radiospike photography))
On March 26, 2009, the director of the Department of Industrial Relations, John C. Duncan, issued a letter to the entire Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board asking them to vacate their own decisions and solicit argument and amicus briefs. Here’s a copy, courtesy of WCExec.com, the Letter from Director of DIR to WCAB re: Ogilvie and Almaraz/Guzman (3/26/2009).
On Monday April 6, 2009 the WCAB issued three Orders Granting Reconsideration and Order Allowing Amicus Briefs (en banc) in Ogilvie and Almaraz/Guzman. For your review:
- Order Granting Reconsideration and Order Allowing Amicus Briefs on Wanda Ogilvie v. City and County of San Francisco, ADJ1177048, SFO 0487779, (en banc) (4/6/2009)
- Order Granting Reconsideration and Order Allowing Amicus Briefs on Mario Almaraz v. Environmental Recovery Services (a.k.a. ENVIROSERVE) and State Compensation Insurance Fund, ADJ1078163, BAK 0145426 (en banc) (4/6/2009) and Joyce Guzman v. Milpitas Unified School District and Keenan & Associates, ADJ3341185, SJO 0254688 (en banc) (4/6/2009)
What does the Order Granting Reconsideration of Ogilvie and Almaraz/Guzman mean for you?
- Ogilvie and Almaraz/Guzman are still the law. Despite Commissioner Aghazarian’s two concurring opinions, the WCAB did not issue a stay of either Ogilvie or Almaraz/Guzman.
- The WCAB has granted SCIF’s petition for reconsideration in Almaraz, granting reconsideration on their own motion in Guzman, and the parties’ petitions for reconsideration in Ogilvie. They have granted reconsideration on these cases to, “afford us a sufficient opporutnity to study the issues.” ((Hence, the “The Thinker” reference above…))
- Any interested party may file an amicus brief no later than May 1, 2009 at 5pm.
New Ogilvie DFEC Rebuttal Calculator feature!
Late last week a user asked for a new feature. ((Thanks Dennis!)) He wanted to be able to perform the Ogilvie DFEC rebuttal calculation and have the results e-mailed to him. ((Photo courtesy of Vernhart)) Well, I built it! ((Why, what did you do with your Saturday morning?))
To e-mail yourself a calculation, perform the calculation as normal. When the website returns your calculation, it will say “E-mail Me!” Just click that button and it will send an e-mail to the address you used to register for this website.
However, here’s the cool part: I’ve installed this new e-mail system into every calculator! ((I haven’t installed it in some of the EAMS lookup functions)) No more having to copy and paste! Just click one button and your calculation will show up in your inbox! ((If you filled in the boxes for Applicant, WCAB #, and File #, it will include this information in your e-mail as well. This is only for your convenience and not a requirement.))
Although I intend this to be a paid-subscription-only feature, I am going to leave it open for all users while I get some feedback. So, what do you think? Please leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail!