work comp

Welcome to Work Comp Talk, the ultimate podcast for injured workers across California. Join host Carmen Ramirez and co-host Bilal Kassem, as they delve deep into the intricacies of the workers' compensation system. In this episode, they shed light on what's NOT covered in workers' compensation, a topic riddled with misconceptions.

- Limitations of the system
- Absence of compensation for pain and suffering
- Challenges in obtaining permanent disability for non-catastrophic injuries
- Lost wages
- Punitive damages

Carmen and Bilal also touch upon the shrinking benefits of vocational rehabilitation and the importance of having a legal team by your side in navigating the complex world of workers' compensation.

If you or someone you know has encountered workplace injuries, this episode is a must-listen. Stay informed, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to get updates on our latest content. Got questions? Don't hesitate to ask Bilal! Leave your inquiries in the comments, and we might just answer them in our upcoming Ask Bilal segment.

In this enlightening episode of WorkCompTalk, we dive deep into the intricacies of Workers' Compensation with a focus on Agreed Medical Evaluators (AMEs) and Qualified Medical Evaluators (QMEs). If you've ever been curious about the roles these experts play in the workers' comp process, you won't want to miss this discussion.

Visit our podcast website at www.workcomptalk.net for more in-depth episodes on workers' comp topics.

This episode is brought to you by our sponsor, Pacific Workers' Compensation Law Center, where they are dedicated to helping injured workers get the compensation they deserve. Learn more about their services at www.pacificworkers.com.

Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share to stay updated on all things related to Workers' Compensation!

In this episode, hosts Carmen Ramirez and Bilal Kassem present an insightful discussion that sheds light on the pivotal roles of healthcare professionals within the workers' compensation realm. They teamed up with Pain and Rehab Consultants Medical Group very own Dr. Jamasbi, Dr. Morley and Physician's Assistant Donny Cho.

This episode helps you understand the important roles doctors take when it comes to a workers' compensation case. They also help define what are some key elements that you should know about when seeing a doctor during your healing process following a work injury or illness.

You can learn more about the doctors here:  https://www.prcmg.com/our-team/ and if you need any legal assistance you can contact Bilal and his team at Pacific Workers' here: https://www.pacificworkers.com/

Download our podcast episode on your favorite podcast app.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/work-comp-talk-podcast/id1506093689

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7LRVPEpZCepnwZVcUxMCHU?si=4lTeA2CsQpu01PeBRkXASw

In this empowering episode of Work Comp Talk, Pacific Workers' Managing Attorney Bilal Kassem and Host Carmen Ramirez take you on a gripping journey into the realm of Penalties and Sanctions imposed on insurance companies for delayed payments!

Discover the rights every injured worker possesses when faced with delayed or denied compensation. Knowledge is key, and we've got the insights you need to safeguard your interests.

Learn how you can seek compensation for the mistakes made by insurance companies and understand the process that lies ahead. Our experts break down the complexities, making it easier for you to navigate through the legal avenues available.

Drawing inspiration from impactful cases, we share real examples where the application of Penalties and Sanctions has substantially benefited injured workers. You'll be amazed at the positive outcomes these powerful measures can bring!

Don't miss this crucial discussion that empowers you with the tools to protect your rights as an injured worker. Tune in now, and equip yourself with the knowledge and understanding to stand up against injustice!

As always, like, subscribe, and share this episode with your fellow workers to spread awareness and support each other in the journey to secure what you rightfully deserve! 

#WorkCompTalk #PacificWorkers #PenaltiesAndSanctions #InjuredWorkersRights #Compensation #LegalInsights #RealCases #Empowerment #StandUpForJustice

Join hosts Carmen Ramirez and Managing Attorney Bilal Kassem from Pacific Workers', The Lawyers of Injured Workers, in the latest episode of Work Comp Talk Podcast. Discover how settlements and workers' comp benefits are calculated and learn who holds the responsibility for this crucial information. 

Most importantly, Carmen and Bilal emphasize the importance of never accepting the first settlement offer. Gain invaluable insights and expert advice to navigate the complex world of workers' compensation. Subscribe now for engaging discussions and stay empowered with Work Comp Talk Podcast! 

We know that taking time off work to recharge and relax is crucial for our mental and physical wellbeing. But what happens when you need to use your vacation time to get bills paid while on workers' comp?

Bilal Kassem and Carmen take a closer look at vacation time and how it fits into the workers' comp equation. Do you have to use up your vacation time while you are out due to an injury that happened at work? What if you don't want to take your vacation or PTO? We'll answer these questions and more.

Whether you're an employee trying to navigate the workers' comp system or an employer looking to better understand your responsibilities, this episode has something for you. So grab a cup of coffee and join us as we explore these important topics.

Injured workers often have many questions when it comes to settling their workers' compensation claim. This video provides a comprehensive guide to frequently asked questions about workers' comp settlements in California. Bilal Kassem, Esq., our expert attorney answers questions such as:

1. How much can I get from my workers' compensation settlement? How is a settlement calculated?
2. Will I get taxed on my settlement amount?
3. Can I sue the insurance company on additional injuries caused by the waiting periods for medical treatment approvals?
4. How can I recover penalties and sanctions?
5. Do I need to keep my work restrictions after I settle?
6. Why is my settlement taking forever?
7. What is a Voucher?

We also offer practical tips and strategies to help you get the most out of your settlement. This video has answers to some of the most common questions you may have about navigating the workers' comp settlement process in California.

In this episode, we get to know Patrick Robinson, VP of Government Affairs at ODG (an MCG Health Company). 

Patrick shares his interesting career path from an attorney in Shreveport, Louisiana to administrator and judge, WCRI, now with ODG, and some of the things he has learned along the way. He also chats about grandkids, his Latin connections, and a few things he did during the pandemic. 

Plus, we have a first, ladies and gents! Patrick reveals that he got his start in the workers' comp industry by way of the Canadian Football League in Shreveport, LA - via the Shreveport Pirates! Listen for more details on that little tidbit. How cool is that? 

Patrick does not disappoint. He also shares details about a trip to Chihuahua, Mexico, and a surprise twist! 

¡Vamanos pronto! Hablamos con señor Patrick...

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Yvonne and Rafael catch up with Alex Swedlow, President of California Workers' Compensation Institute (CWCI).

According to their website, CWCI provides data, practical analyses and real-world expertise on issues and trends affecting California workers' compensation. Many look to CWCI's research as an indicator of important trends and issues in the workers' compensation space, as California is such a large, unique and significant state to consider.

Join Yvonne and Rafael as they explore Alex's background, how he arrived in the workers' comp space and perhaps a few fun facts you may not know.

¡Vamanos pronto!

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Meet Caryn Siebert, Vice President, Carrier Practice for Gallagher Bassett. 

Caryn shares with us about her legal background, how she landed in the workers' compensation industry and she gives us a glimpse of what her current job entails. 

Lean in as Caryn talks about why she loves her job. Find out why she feels so lucky that she gets to do what she does every day. 

One thing about Caryn is that she loves to give back! A few of Caryn's passion projects include: 

• Mentoring young professionals about the insurance industry
• School of Risk Management Insurance, Cal-State Fullerton
• Kids' Chance of California
• Give Kids The World
• Diversity and Inclusion 

She also tells us what's happening in the industry that gets her excited. So get ready to learn more about Caryn. Are you ready? 

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Meet Steve Nichols who joins us from the Austin, Texas area. If you want to know anything about Texas legislative issues, Steve is your person. Get to know him and subscribe to his Texas newsletter. Currently working as a consultant, Steve, served for many years as the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) Manager of Workers’ Compensation Services. 

Prior to joining ICT, Steve worked for the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission as the manager of medical dispute resolution, APA hearing administrator, and mediator. He also served 23 years in the military on active duty and as a reservist as a paralegal and military law office manager. Steve is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Troy State University.

Tune in as Yvonne and Rafael chat with Steve about how he got started in workers' comp and how he has navigated his career. 

In this episode, you'll learn about Texas workers' comp, recent legislative issues, Steve's experience with lobbying and more! Listen to the end to hear about Steve and Yvonne's Panama connection. 

For more on Steve's Texas newsletter visit: https://www.stevewnichols.com/

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Bret Cade, senior sales executive with Ascential Care Partners, lives in the Greater Atlanta area and has enjoyed a successful career in the workers' comp industry. Recently he sat down with Yvonne and Rafael and chatted about his career in the workers compensation industry.  

While he graduated from college with the dream to become a sports broadcaster, when that didn't pan out, he started working as a vocational rehab counselor for a company in Savannah, GA. That put him on a much different path.  Listen to this episode to hear how Bret has navigated his career and how he ultimately ended up excelling at sales. 

Bret shares advice on how to approach sales in workers' comp: 

• Do your homework on a client. 
• What do they need? 
• What problem can you solve for them? 
• Get to know the business by getting to know your colleagues.
• Don't let "NO" keep you from building relationships. 

Rafael and Bret worked together in the past, so they share a special history and bond. Listen to them reminisce about working together as well as sharing their family stories.

Stay tuned to the end to learn about Bret's connection to Crete and a few Minoan secrets!

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

If you don't know Ya'Sheaka Williams, you ought to! She is one of the absolute best in the business. She is young, already with a good number of years of experience under her belt, she is smart, honest, funny, kind and genuinely interested in doing the right thing. 

In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael chat with Ya'Sheaka about her career, how she got started and some of the obstacles she has had to overcome along the way. Ralph goes straight to the heart of the matter, asking Ya'Sheaka to tell our listeners what it was like coming into a male-dominated industry as a black woman. 

Yes HE did that! And her answers are full of good advice for all women in the workers' comp industry. Her outlook is amazing - so positive and focused on advocating for the injured worker.  Ya'Sheaka often speaks at conferences and works hard to educate the industry. 

Regardless of your role in the industry, Ya'Sheaka offers an honest and refreshing glimpse into her career as a defense attorney. She is based in Tampa, Florida and is the managing partner for the law offices of Eraclides, Gelman. 

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael chat with Brian Allen, Vice President Governmental Affairs at Mitchell Pharmacy Solutions.  Brian is one of the smartest and fascinating individuals in our industry and he joins us from Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Tune into this conversation as we learn about the interesting and varied twists and turns of Brian's career. He has done many things including working in law enforcement, banking, and insurance sales to name a few. He has also served in the Utah legislature, and for the past 18 years, he has focused on lobbying and governmental affairs. This includes tracking legislation in all 50 states and working with state legislatures to ensure they understand the full impact of pending or proposed legislation. 

If you'd like to learn more about what lobbyists do in our industry, and what Mitchell Pharmacy Solutions does,  Brian gives a great overview and it is worth a listen. 

Brian discusses the top legislative issues happening at the time of recording in the Summer of 2021 and offers some really good advice to those looking for their "spot" in the industry. 

Listen to the very end to discover a big surprise about Brian that you may not know!

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael chat with Jennifer Wolf of International Association of Industrial Accident Boards & Commissions (IAIABC) founded 107 years ago.  Jenn is the executive director of IAIABC. She is an absolute gem of a person and a delight to engage with in conversation. Our industry is so lucky to have her...she is smart, she has a wonderful sense of humor and she is so knowledgeable about workers' compensation and the industry at large.  
Listen in as we chat about how she arrived in the industry, her memorable first day on the job, her podcast, Accidentally, and her thoughts about the important role of workers' compensation in society. 

Jenn shares about what is the IAIABC and how they believe that bringing together people from all states and countries, to discuss, explore and debate the issues that exists in the workers' compensation system helps to improve and shape the system for the future. 

She talks about the fragile balance between the two competing tensions in the system, that of the employer and employee,  and why ensuring that both voices are well-represented in the system are essential. 

We invite you to listen and learn from Jenn as she openly shares what she has learned and some of the obstacles she has overcome in her career.  

BONUS: at the end we have a fun round-robin review of some workers' compensation acronyms! 

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Yvonne and Rafael talk with Mark Pew, also known as the Rx Professor. Mark shares some recent, somewhat unsettling news, that has caused him to switch gears quickly, resulting in the launch of The RxProfessor, LLC. 

We are super excited about Mark's future in our industry. For many years he has been a prolific writer, speaker and presenter, focusing on topics that have to do with the "intersection of chronic pain and appropriate treatment."

In this episode, we talk about important life lessons, the need to focus on and build resilience within yourself, and the importance of building your professional network. 

Also, you'll hear about one of Mark's passion projects "The Transitions" an organization  addressing the issues of passing the torch, mentoring the next generation of workers' comp professionals, and how and why it was formed. Check The Transitions out on Linked In, or on YouTube, look for "The Transitions Online." If you are interested in mentoring other professionals, or want to be mentored yourself, please reach out to Mark Pew. 

To learn more about Mark Pew and his current whereabouts, visit his website:  https://therxprofessor.com/

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

Yvonne and Rafael catch up with Danielle Lisenbey, President of Medrisk. In this episode, she talks about the laughs she gets from watching her 2 year old grandson try to fit into his "Papa's shoes"; what it has been like to transition from Broadspire to Medrisk during the pandemic; how she got into the workers' comp industry; how she developed her affinity for adjusters and nurse case managers; why engineers should consider a career in our industry; how she thinks the new generations can help move the needle forward in workers' comp; how she has handled adversity and obstacles throughout her career and her advice for newcomers or people looking for where they "fit" in the industry.  She underscores the need for women in particular to learn about financial acumen. 

Danielle is one of the strongest advocates for women leadership, diversity and inclusion and serves as board member of the Alliance of Women in WC and also Cadence Rx. 

You can learn more about Medrisk here: https://www.medrisknet.com/

Learn more about Alliance of Women in Workers' Compensation here  https://allianceofwomen.org/ as well as local chapters of Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) at https://rims.org/ 

These are two organizations she specifically mentioned for networking and there are many more. Reach out to Yvonne or Rafael if you would like more information on other networking organizations in our industry.  We'd be happy to help you with that! 

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael talk with Jim Anderson, defense attorney and senior founding member of Mississippi law firm Anderson Crawley & Burke, pllc with offices in Jackson and Oxford. 

Jim is one of the most knowledgeable people around when it comes to workers' compensation, particularly in the state of Mississippi. He is also one of the most dedicated folks in our industry, demonstrating what it means to be a servant leader. 

In addition to his law practice, he's heavily involved with organizing the Mississippi Workers' Compensation Educational Conference, the National Review of Workers' Compensation at the WCI conference in Orlando, he's on the board of the Faith-Based Claims Association, and also involved with numerous charitable projects in the workers' comp industry. 

Listen to this episode as we navigate a deep dive into the legal aspects of MS workers' comp with Jim Anderson and learn a few fun facts along the way. 

You can find information about the conference Jim mentioned, organized by the Mississippi Workers' Compensation Educational Association, here: https://www.mwcea.org/

Books mentioned by Jim: 
"Red Sky Over Hawaii" by Sara Ackerman
"The Four Winds" by Kristin Hannah

Here is a link to Steve Martin's "Cruel Shoes" a comedy skit and book by the same name that was popular in the late 1970s that Jim referenced at the beginning of the episode. 

Hasta luego amigos!

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

In this episode, we discuss medical causation in Minnesota Workers' Compensation claims from a claimant and defense perspective.  

Join Yvonne and Rafael for a conversation with Dr. Claire Muselman, Vice President Workers' Compensation Center of Excellence at NARS.  Claire is an absolute powerhouse. She's blazing new trails in the workers' compensation industry. She is making waves AND making positive changes in our industry. Pull up a seat and let's chat with Claire...

Episode Highlights:
(3:25) Claire on her new role at North American Risk Services (NARS)
(7:15) Claire: what a Workers' Compensation Center of Excellence is and does 
(12:20) Rafael: the #1 reason people seek a workers' comp attorney
(15:15) Claire: proactive communication keeps claims on track
(23:25) Claire does NOT like the "C" word! Words matter. 
(28:45) How Claire ended up in workers' compensation.  
(31:35) Claire on the ripple effect in workers' compensation.
(32:30) What keeps Claire in workers' comp?
(37:15) Claire: "...the biggest issues injured workers' have: communication."
(40:00) Sometimes, workers' comp processes don't make sense...
(42:43) A surprising fact about Claire. 

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp