Workers Comp Zone

A Partner at Boxer & Gerson LLP, Julius Young has practiced worker’s compensation law and social security disability law since 1979. He has represented thousands of individuals who have sustained life-changing injuries or illnesses while on the job. In every case, his goal is to secure the medical treatments his clients need.

July 11, 2022

AB-5, CALIFORNIA TRUCKERS AND THE PORTS

The California Trucking Association and various California owner operator truckers have lost their battle to avoid application of AB-5 to their businesses. On June 30, 2022 the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the controversy. What is this controversy, and what are the implications for California truckers and the ports? The California Trucking Association and […]


July 5, 2022

NEW STUDY: CWCI SAYS NEW DOC FEE SCHEDULE IS COSTLY

CWCI has released a July 2022 study of costs under the California Medical-Legal Fee Schedule (MLFS), which was revised in 2021. Although costs were expected to rise under the MLFS, they appear to be rising much more than anticipated. According to the CWCI, a higher flat fee rate led to a 222% cost increase in […]


June 15, 2022

SCALING BACK

One of the most controversial 2022 California workers’ comp bills is SB 1127 (Atkins). But that bill has now been considerably scaled back. As of last week, SB 1127 provided for a reduction of the time to accept or deny non-presumption claims from the current 90 days to 60 days. And the time to accept […]


May 23, 2022

FRAMING REFORM DISCUSSIONS

2022 may in fact be a year for significant California workers’ comp reforms. The last major reforms were a decade ago, in 2012, under Governor Brown. Inflation continues to eat at permanent disability awards and settlements. California injured workers have not received a PD indemnity increase since 2013. Discussions are taking place quietly, but a […]


May 2, 2022

THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE COMPROMISE

It appears the California legislature is likely to approve a negotiated compromise that would revise limits on California medical malpractice claims. The bill, AB 35, would amend MICRA (the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act of 1975) which places severe caps on recoveries for non-economic damages in medical malpractice actions. A link to the legislative analysis […]


April 20, 2022

THE NEXT WCIRB RATE RECOMMENDATION

In about a week the California Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau will be filing its official written recommendation for an adjustment in California’s advisory workers’ comp rates. On April 20, 2022 the WCIRB Governing Committee voted after hearing a presentation by WCIRB Chief Actuary David Bellusci. The recommendation to Insurance Commissioner Lara will be to […]


April 12, 2022

SB 1458 AND GENDER PAY DISPARITY

Will the California workers’ comp system soon be involved in gender pay issues? That could happen under SB 1458 (sponsored by Santa Barbara State Senator Monique Limon), currently awaiting an April 18 hearing of the California Senate Committee on Labor, Public Employment and Retirement. SB 1458 (see link to the text at bottom of this […]