NJ Workers' Compensation One-Day Seminar on Comp Fundamentals Announced

December 6, 2012 in Parsippany, New Jersey

If you have questions or would like further information about this semniar, please contact Carol Wright at cwright@capehart.com or (609) 234-1776.

Morning Session:

8:15-8:30 a.m.: Introduction and Networking

8:30-9:15 a.m.: The Building Blocks of the New Jersey Workers' Comp Act

Part One: Benefits and Eligibility

Lora V. Northen, Esq., Capehart Scatchard

John H. Geaney, Esq., Capehart Scatchard

• Medical control and the impact of maximal medical improvement on med and temp benefits
• Requirements for temporary disability benefits & Gioia case
• How to calculate rates for temporary and permanency benefits
• When employers can terminate benefits in New Jersey
• Eligibility for partial permanent disability benefits
• What you need to know about the Second Injury Fund and third party liens

9:15-10: 00 a.m.: Part Two: The Key Defenses Employers Must Know To Win In Workers' Compensation

• The going-and-coming and premises rules
• Idiopathic claims and major deviations from work
• Understanding the statute of limitations and notice defenses
• How to win occupational stress cases
• Defending heart and stroke claims

10:15-11:00 a.m.: The Key Elements of a Strong Workers' Comp Program ­­ Panel Discussion

Michele Flamm, Bergen Regional MC

Frank Del Gaudio, County of Essex

Daniel Boyer, York Claims Services

Moderator: Lora V. Northen, Esq., Capehart Scatchard

• Learn what comp managers do to control costs
• How to design good return-to-work programs
• Developing effective communication with physicians
• Why good adjusters make an enormous difference in controlling costs
• When to retain investigators and case managers on files

11:00 a.m.-Noon: “We Feel Your Pain” ­ Effective Pain Management in New Jersey

Dr. Jonathan Lester, Comprehensive Spine Care, P.A.

• Best practices in pain management in workers' compensation
• When to do injections and when to use narcotics
• Reaching maximal medical improvement — problems and obstacles
• Avoiding addiction and abuse of pain medications
• Weaning patients off narcotics: Suboxone and other techniques

Noon-1:00 p.m.: Buffet Lunch Included (network with the speakers and visit the sponsor booths)

Afternoon Session:

1:00-2:00 p.m.: “Fraud, Lies and Videotapes” ­ ­Panel Discussion

Bryan Varallo, Capcon Group

Nancy Fowlkes, Inservco

John H. Geaney, Esq., Capehart Scatchard

• The key fraud cases from 2012 that we all need to know
• Listen to an experienced adjuster discuss how she handles fraud claims
• Learn from an accomplished investigator on winning surveillance methods
• How is fraud defined in New Jersey: is it just working while on temp?
• What you can do in-house to fight fraud and get more effective surveillance?

2:15-3:00 p.m.: Back Claims and Causation Issues in Workers' Comp

Dr. Charles Gatto, Tri­County Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine, Inc.

• How important is the past medical history to a spine surgeon?
• What information matters to surgeons on the issue of causation?
• Cutting edge trends in back and neck surgery
• When should fusion be done and when should it be avoided?
• Are MRIs over-read?
• What do bulging discs really mean?

3:00-4:00 p.m.: Audience and Speaker Exchange: Complex Issues Facing Employers and Carriers on ADA, FMLA and Workers' Compensation

Lora V. Northen, Esq., Capehart Scatchard

John H. Geaney, Esq, Capehart Scatchard

• Work through a hypothetical return-to-work case scenario with the speakers
• Do post-offer exams make sense in your place of employment?
• How to deal with return to work and fitness-for-duty issues?
• Tips on avoiding ADA litigation
• How to coordinate FMLA and workers' compensation

4:00 p.m.: Program Concludes

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