A SMALL POSITIVE BORN OF TRAGEDY

By Steven A. Minicucci Administrative/Association Judge Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Court   The impact of the fire was far-reaching including the horrific deaths, debilitating, and disfiguring injuries, the political and criminal fallout in diminutive Rhode Island which was likened in court to the state’s own version of a 9/11 tragedy. In the aftermath of the […]

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MSA 101

By Douglas W. Gott Chief Administrative Law Judge Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims   I.     Overview of MSAs. Congress established the Medicare program in 1965 to pay medical expenses for the elderly and disabled. It paid those expenses without regard to whether the treatment was also covered by an employer group health plan. Congress […]

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Life After the NAWCJ Presidency

By Suzette Carlisle Flowers, Ph.D. Administrative Law Judge Missouri Division of Workers’ Compensation   NAWCJ presidents devote their time, vision, energy, and creativity to advancement of the organization, as members, committee chairs, secretary, treasurer, president-elect, and as president.  After years of service, the fast and furious pace abruptly ends.  But what happens to past presidents […]

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2023 NEW JUDGES’ BOOT CAMP RECAP

By Kevin Berkowitz Administrative Law Judge Industrial Commission of Arizona     Over a three-day period, new workers’ compensation judges, including myself, gained invaluable insight from the 2023 new judges’ virtual boot camp. Although the 2023 bootcamp was virtual, which decreased the opportunity to meet each other on a more personal basis, the boot camp […]

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A TALE OF TWO SOCIETIES: THE IMPACT OF “GIG ECONOMY” LAWS ON RURAL AMERICA

By Timothy W. Conner Judge, Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board Knoxville, TN   According to preliminary results released by the U.S. Census Bureau in December 2020, there are approximately 332.6 million people living in America.[1]  Most Americans live in what are defined as “urban,” or densely-populated, areas while a minority live in what are defined as […]

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SAVE THE DATE – 2023 E. EARLE ZEHMER NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION JULY 28, 2023

By Committee Chair – Jacqueline B. Steele NAWCJ Moot Court Committee Chair   VOLUNTEER JUDGES NEEDED FOR ZOOM! It is that time of year again judges and we are pleased to announce that we have successfully fielded 26 student competitor teams from 17 different law schools for our annual moot court competition. Our Preliminary Rounds will […]

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THE “GOLDILOCKS” PROBLEM: RETHINKING THE EVIDENCE RULES IN WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COURTS

By Edward K. Cheng [1] Heidi H. Liu [2] Henry Z. Wang [3]   In the April 2023 issue of Lex & Verum, Judge Thomas Wyatt from Tennessee raises the question of applying (or not applying) the rules of evidence in workers’ compensation proceedings. In this Essay, we broaden and build on Judge Wyatt’s comments […]

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