You may have heard that a workers’ compensation claim is the exclusive remedy that injured employees have against their employer in California. While that is mostly true, there is a narrow, but important exception: A serious and willful misconduct claim. In a serious and willful misconduct claim,an employer may face additional legal liability after a […]
As explained by the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), QMEs are licensed doctors who have been trained and certified by the state’s DWC. When there are questions regarding the nature and severity of an employee’s injury, a Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) may be brought in to bring additional clarity and help resolve the issue. […]
With today’s online Panel Qualified Medical Evaluator request system, it is often a race to be the party to designate the panel specialty. All too often the fate of a case hinges on the click of a submittal button. Despite defendants’ best efforts, there are times where applicant’s counsel is able to secure the specialty […]
Workers’ compensation insurance provides financial protection to employees who were injured while on the job. Following an incident in the workplace, employees have a right to file a claim—even if employers are confident that the claim is meritless. Under California law (Labor Code section 132(a)), employers are legally prohibited from taking adverse action against a […]
