CWCP Seminar Agenda

Principles of Disability Law, Monday - Tuesday

The first day covers the workers' compensation system including the basic principles of state workers' compensation laws. It doesn't teach the law of any specific state but instead points individuals to the questions they must ask to understand the law of any specific state but instead points individuals to the questions they must ask to understand the law in their state. The session also examines the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Monday's segment briefly reviews the history of workers' compensation and the basic economic issues involved.

Topics Include:

  • History of Workers' Compensation
  • Economic Issues
  • Coverage
  • Exclusive Remedy and Third-Party Cases
  • Arising out of and In the Course of
  • the Causal Issue
  • Disability Benefits
  • Medical Benefits
  • Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits
  • Procedures
  • Americans with Disabilities Act
  • The Family and Medical Leave Act

Claims Management, Tuesday - Wednesday

Tuesday and Wednesday cover the steps for managing a claim from beginning to end; the procedures for handling routine claims; and problem issues including litigation, settlements, and attorneys. This portion is rich with handouts including checklists and forms that attendees can use in their workplace.

Claims Management

  • Claim Reporting
  • Employer Response to a Claim
  • Creating a Claim File
  • Investigating a Claim File
  • Choosing Medical Providers
  • Controlling Medical Costs
  • Paying Benefits
  • Setting Reserves
  • Using Vocational Rehabilitation
  • Handling Disputed Claims
  • Dealing with Judges and Attorneys
  • Settlements

Insurance & Self-Insurance, Wednesday - Thursday

On Wednesday and Thursday we discuss insurance and self-insurance and explain the various alternatives, their advantages and disadvantages.

  • How insurance prices are set
  • How to get the best price
  • Alternatives for insurance and self-insurance
  • How to get good service from an insurance company or third-party administrator

Safety, Disability Prevention & Management Issues, Thursday

Thursday includes a discussion of the latest strategies for preventing injuries. The best employers have moved beyond the traditional safety contests ad now focus on hazards and near misses. We discuss how they do this.

Disability prevention involves the entire structure of a business. It includes wellness, employee selection practices, fraud prevention, and perhaps most important of all, management commitment.

Early return-to-work is one of the most successful strategies employers can use in dealing with workers' compensation. We discuss the reasoning behind this approach and provide specific details for creating a RTW Program.

This day's highlights include:

Safety and Prevention

  • Training Programs
  • Safety Committees
  • Safety Incentives
  • Incident Investigation

Disability Prevention

  • Human Resource Management
  • Wellness
  • Repetitive Trauma Disorders
  • Management Commitment

Return-to-Work

  • Designing a Program
  • Limitation
  • Implementation
  • Time Limits
  • Making It Work

Medical Issues - Friday

Friday gives practitioners a basic understanding of the medical issues related to workers' compensation. It teaches practitioners how to review and understand medical reports, recognize the severity and importance of certain diagnoses, have reasonable understanding of what treatment is appropriate, and build skills in dealing with doctors and other healthcare providers.

The session includes a videotape of a physician performing a back examination of a claimant.

Topics covered include:

  • An Introduction to Medical Issues
  • Understanding a Medical Report
  • A Review of Body Systems
  • Back Injuries
    • Anatomy
    • Common Disabilities
    • Prognosis
    • Appropriate Treatment
    • Cause
  • Injuries to the Hand of the Arm
  • Injuries to the Knee
  • Other Problems

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