BLOG

In a dramatic turn of events, Dr. Mohammed I. Ranavaya, MD, MS, CIME, FFOM, FRCPI, the president of A.B.I.M.E. (American Board of Independent Medical Examiners), recently announced the name of the newest member of A.B.I.M.E.’s…
Read More

Don Barthel and Mark Fletcher, managing partner, recently met with members of the American Medical Association in Chicago to obtain insights into the forthcoming 6th Edition of the AMA Guides. As you are all aware,…
Read More

In keeping with Bradford & Barthel’s commitment to cutting edge analysis of California’s ever-changing Workers’ Compensation world in which we live, we are pleased to announce that Bradford & Barthel has recently retained the services…
Read More

Bradford & Barthel believes “double dipping” should be limited to visits to Baskin-Robbins! Unfortunately many QMEs, PTPs, and even AMEs are attempting to get applicants “a little something extra” when applying the DRE method to…
Read More

Did you know that 3 + 4 = 5 when applying the DRE (Diagnosis Related Estimate) method to the lumbar and thoracic spine? It’s strange, but true. If an applicant qualifies for a DRE Category…
Read More

Change is the name of the game in 2005. It appears that the legislative intent was much more than putting California on a “diet” to reduce its ever growing workers’ compensation waistline. The intent was…
Read More

Per the AMA Guides, a 0% WPI (whole person impairment) rating “is assigned… if the impairment has no significant organ or body system functional consequences and does not limit the performance of… activities of daily…
Read More

There is a great deal of information (and misinformation) about when the AMA Guides and new PDRS are to be applied. Given that the application of the “new” rating system can easily result in a…
Read More

A subject of great debate and much criticism, the new Permanent Disability Rating Schedule used RAND study results “to establish the ratio of average California standard ratings to proportional wage losses for each of 22…
Read More