Michael P. Burns

One of the most powerful tools in a defense attorney or claims examiner’s arsenal is the subpoena for production of records. This tool

There are 27 million licensed drivers in California, a state known for its sprawling freeways that transverse nearly 800 miles of deserts, valleys,

A traveling banker was in the course and scope of employment when she died after a night of drinking during a business trip,

The presentation will provide a summary of the going and coming and premises line rules and how they affect issues including injury AOE/COE

An employer may be located on 123 Main Street and an employee’s shift may begin at 8:00 a.m., but an injury occurring at

One of the most frequently-asked questions when defendants wish to settle a case is whether the Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit (SJDB) voucher is

Evaluating injuries that occur on the employer’s premises can be a challenging task, particularly when workers are in the transition period between the

A truck driver may be injured while hauling a load from Cripple Creek, Colo. to Lake Charles, Louisiana, or while driving down Bourbon

Defendants in the California workers’ compensation system in California tend to become accustomed to medical-legal reports that don’t go their way. Sometimes this

In the post-Covid workplace or job, particularly in states such as California where there is a heavy technology industry, it is expected that

In 2005, the California Legislature provided insurers with a major relief by limiting temporary disability to 104 weeks for most injuries. One exception

One of the most common complaints that arise in the life of a worker’s compensation case, from a defense perspective, is applicants requesting

In today’s COVID environment, many employers have provided a large degree of flexibility for their employees to work from home or, alternatively, return

Technological hurdles have complicated the settlement walk-through process during the pandemic, but there are ways to avoid them and get settlements approved. WCAB

Despite the elimination of vocational rehabilitation in 2005, California has continued a modified system allowing injured workers to pursue retraining in the form

The recently-enacted presumption of compensability for COVID-19 industrial claims raises a number of discovery issues that are seldom encountered in most workers’ compensation

One side effect of the coronavirus pandemic that defendants will have to face is psychiatric claims filed by applicants who allege that the

The COVID-19 epidemic has caused a record number of layoffs, furloughs, and terminations, as many businesses have been forced to close due to

California and the world are undergoing an unprecedented shutdown of the economy as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, and its impact is

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed the issue of workers’ compensation claims for infectious diseases back on insurers’ radar. This area of California workers’

The cost of living in California has resulted in many employees choosing to move to remote parts of the state, but retaining their

Whether settlement is via stipulated award or compromise and release, one of the most common impediments for defendants is valuing exposure for lifetime

When an applicant dies during a worker’s compensation claim, insurers need to be aware of the requirements for resolving the case. The first

Recent concern over the use of opioid medications, whether obtained with or without a prescription, has prompted many employers to carefully examine the

The past decade has seen an explosion in online access and improvements in technology. These changes have naturally resulted in changes in medicine.

Reviewing surveillance film is often a flop, like the summer blockbuster that disappoints with a thin plot and weakly-developed characters. Watching thirty or

In California worker’s compensation, defendants are typically held responsible for the negligence of applicants and their attorneys. Trusting them to provide correct information

Temporary disability provides injured workers with a replacement for lost wages they would suffer as they recover from an industrial injury. But what

Many adjusters and defense counsel have run into the following situation at least once: An applicant seems to disappear—he stops treating, misses evaluations,