Tag: Amicus Brief

By Posted on Posted in 2005 PDRS, Almaraz / Guzman, AMA Guides, Ogilvie, PDRater, Workers Compensation Resources No Comments Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Appeal (get it?)
Appeal (get it?)

Thanks to our friends at AppealsBoardReporter.com, we now have access to 22 amicus briefs filed in the Ogilvie and Almaraz/Guzman cases.  ((Photo courtesy of Black Glenn.  Terrible pun courtesy of me.)) In late March 2009 the WCAB granted reconsideration of their recent Ogilvie and Almaraz/Guzman decisions – and invited the submission of amicus briefs.  You can read and download them here:

Who produced them?  Well, Ogilvie amicus briefs were filed by:

  • Morrow & Morrow
  • International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals
  • The Travelers Companies Inc.
  • Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner
  • California Workers’ Compensation Institute

The Almaraz/Guzman briefs were filed by:

  • California Applicants’ Attorneys Association
  • California Chamber of Commerce-CSAC Excess Insurance Authority
  • County of Los Angeles
  • California Self-Insured Employers Association
  • California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery
  • California Workers’ Compensation Institute
  • Department of Industrial Relations Director John Duncan
  • Employers Direct Insurance Company
  • Phil Walker, Esq.
  • Phil Walker, Judicial Notice Request
  • Protected Insurance Program for Schools
  • Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner
  • Safeway Inc.-The Boeing Co.-Schools Insurance Authority
  • San Diego Schools Joint Powers Authority
  • International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals
  • Morrow & Morrow
  • The Travelers Companies Inc.

After reviewing the above list, I have to wonder: Why doesn’t CAAA have an amicus brief for Ogilvie?  Does anyone know?

By Posted on Posted in Case Law, PDRater, Vocational Rehabilitation, Website Updates, Workers Compensation Resources No Comments Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,
The WCAB is soliciting suggestions on vocational rehabilitation
The WCAB is soliciting input on vocational rehabilitation

The WCAB has just issued an “Order Allowing Amicus Briefs” (en banc) in the Weiner v. Ralph’s Company case. ((Photo courtesy of Mathoov)) The Weiner case is about the effect of the legislature’s repeal of Labor Code Section 139.5 as of January 1, 2009.  The repeal of this statute may have the effect of terminating all rights to vocational rehabilitation.

For the curious, you can download a copy of the Order Allowing Amicus Briefs (en banc) here:

The Board is allowing until May 11, 2009 for any interested party to file their own amicus brief on these Weiner vocational rehabiltiation issues.

By Posted on Posted in 1997 PDRS, 2005 PDRS, Almaraz / Guzman, AMA Guides, DFEC Rebuttal, Ogilvie, PDRater, Permanent Disability Rating Schedule, Permanent Partial Disability, Workers Compensation Resources No Comments Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Need more time to think about Ogilvie, Almaraz, and Guzman?
Need more time to think about Ogilvie, Almaraz/Guzman?

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:

What does the Order Granting Reconsideration of Ogilvie and Almaraz/Guzman mean for you?

    1. 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.
    2. 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…))
    3. Any interested party may file an amicus brief no later than May 1, 2009 at 5pm.