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By Posted on Posted in Workers Compensation Resources Tagged with , , , , ,
May
10
2012
This post has been rated "R" for some rating and mild humor
This post has been rated "R" for some rating and mild humor

We’ve all seen ratings from various sources – the DEU, opposing counsel, clients, and professional raters. 1  My question to all of you dear readers is – what do you like to see in a professional permanent disability rating?

 

  1. Photo Credit: Shira Golding via Compfight [↩]

By Posted on Posted in Calculators Tagged with , , , , , ,
May
8
2012
A new kind of COLA
A new kind of COLA

I’m getting ready to launch a new workers’ compensation calculator and I could use your help. 1 I still need a few volunteers to help me test a permanent disability, life pension, and total permanent disability COLA commutation calculator.  Right now I need a few applicant attorneys, defense attorneys, and claims examiners.

Here’s what you need:

  • Any free or paid PDRater account
  • A familiarity with DEU COLA commutations
  • A familiarity with recent Baker decision
  • A willingness to answer a few questions

If this sounds like something you would be interested in helping with, please send me an e-mail!

 

  1. Photo Credit: Davide Reppucci via Compfight [↩]

By Posted on Posted in Not Workers Compensation, Technobabble
Feb
15
2012
Easily replaceable tablets
Easily replaceable tablets

A few weeks ago I was at the Oakland WCAB when a Judge asked me if I could help find the owner of a lost tablet computer. 1  I was handed the tablet… but was unable to turn it on.  It turned out that the computer had been turned on and the battery drained down to nothing.  There was no charge cable, no standard USB charging port, no way to power the device, and nothing about it that apparently indicated the identity of its owner.

Here’s what I tried:

  • I looked all over the tablet and inside the case.  Any mobile PC you own should have something identifying it.
  • I looked all over the tablet for a way to possibly charge the device.  Even had I been able to do this, I probably wouldn’t be able to get past the unlock/password screen.
  • The vast majority of 3G/4G mobile broadband computers will have a little tiny “SIM” card in it.  It is a tiny chip about a quarter of the size of a standard SD card.  In some devices you have to open the battery compartment to get to it.  If you can remove the chip you can find out who the broadband carrier is.  In this case the chip had the Verizon name and logo as well as a 10 digit number printed right on it.  It’s that number that lets the tablet PC’s user connect their computer to their Verizon account.  I then called Verizon, spoke to one of their representatives, told them the 10 digit code, gave them my cell number, and about fifteen minutes later the owner of the PC (a friend of mine as it turned out!) called me up!

So, the moral of the story is to make sure you put something on your mobile PC to indicate your ownership so that if someone finds it, they can let you.

  1. Photo courtesy of Helzer [↩]

By Posted on Posted in PDRater
Dec
13
2011
Let's see... "TAX+" or "TAX-"
Let's see... "TAX+" or "TAX-"

Here’s a pro-tip for you Applicant attorneys.  Some insurance companies and TPA’s are actually unable to issue payments to entities unless they have their Tax ID number.  Making it easy for defendants to issue payment means you’ll get paid sooner.1

Here are the top three ways to get paid sooner:

  • Put your Tax ID number on the settlement documents
  • Put your Tax ID number on your website
  • Make sure your receptionist has your Tax ID number ready to give out
  • Put your Tax ID number in your automated voice mail message
  1. Photo courtesy of Phillip [↩]

By Posted on Posted in Medical Treatment
Dec
8
2011
Talk to your doctor about how you can save 15% or more on your reptile dysfunction medication
Talk to your doctor about how you can save 15% or more on your reptile dysfunction medication

A friend of mine is an Applicant’s attorney who uses dictation software with his work computer. 1 As you may know, dictation and voice recognition software is pretty good – but it is not always successful.  My friend, I’ll call him “Tom,”2 was sending an e-mail demand for medication to a defense attorney using his dictation software.  The software got the phrase wrong, but given that the result was extremely entertaining, he sent it anyway.

What was his demand, you may ask?

Medication for his client’s “reptile dysfunction.” 3

  1. Photo courtesy of dmuphotography [↩]
  2. After all, that is his name… [↩]
  3. Other possible names for this post:

    • I got 99 problems, and a reptile ain’t one
    • Reptile problems
    • What do Bob Dole and the Geiko gekko have in common? [↩]