California Applicants' Attorneys Association
Announces 2008-09 leadership team
President Todd McFarren, Esq. |
President-Elect Adam Dombchik, Esq. |
Treasurer Barry Hinden, Esq. |
Secretary S. Bradley Chalk, Esq. |
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SACRAMENTO, CA - The California Applicants’ Attorneys Association
(CAAA), whose members represent Californians injured on the job, today
announced that it has installed a new president and team of officers for the coming
year. Todd McFarren, a long-time workers' compensation attorney with the firm of
Rucka, O’Boyle, Lombardo & McKenna, was installed as president. “I am honored
to have the opportunity to restore the rights of injured workers in California. The
unconscionable takeaways of SB 899 must be reversed,” said McFarren.
McFarren said his priorities for the coming year include: returning permanent
disability payments to at least pre-2005 levels; improving injured workers’ access
to medical treatment, now entangled in senseless red tape and mindless denials;
and helping implement EAMS, currently hamstrung by faulty planning.
McFarren is a graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law (1983),
and has served as president of the national workers compensation organization,
Workers Injury Law & Advocacy Group (WILG). McFarren is a former mayor of
the City of Watsonville, where he resides. McFarren also holds Masters degrees in
philosophy and political science, which should hold him in good stead while
navigating the inscrutable workers compensation political thicket.
CAAA’s elected leaders for 08-09 also include: Sue Borg, Esq., Legislative Chair; Adam Dombchik, Esq., President-Elect; Barry Hinden, Esq., Treasurer; and, Brad
Chalk, Esq., Secretary.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
California Would Still Rank Among Lowest in U.S.
Governor’s Permanent Disability Proposal is No Fix
How much is your Hand worth?
How much is your 3rd finger worth?
How much is your 4th finger worth?
How much is your finger worth?
How much is your leg worth?
How much is your thumb worth?
How much is your other toe worth?
How much is your great toe worth?
How much is your foot worth?
How much is your eye worth?
How much is your ear worth?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR
Monday, October 6, 2008
INJURED WORKERS’ DEATH TOLL MOUNTS:
WIDOW SAYS SCIF’S “DELAYS AND DENIALS
KILLED MY HUSBAND”
While SCIF directors skimmed millions, they issued fatal denials of care
SACRAMENTO, CA – Desiree Baker, the widow of Joe Baker an injured welder
and machinist who committed suicide in despair after fighting unsuccessfully to
get the care needed to recover from his work injuries, told a news conference
outside the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) today that “SCIF’s denials
and delays killed my husband.” Ms. Baker, from Durham, near Chico, said,
“SCIF’s delays in providing care drove my husband, Joe, to shoot himself in
despair.” Ms. Baker blamed her husband’s suicide on repeated delays and denials
in accepting Joe’s injury and authorizing needed medication, “It was SCIF’s denial
of Joe’s treatment and his pain and sleep medications that eventually drove Joe to
suicide.” ... more
CAAA CALENDAR
Detailed information is available under the Calendar Events
Miscellaneous
- Join WILG today! Workers' Injury Law & Advocacy Group Workers' Group is the national non-profit membership organization dedicated to representing the interests of millions of workers and their families who, each year, suffer the consequences of work-related injuries or occupational illnesses and who need expert legal assistance to obtain medical care and other relief under workers' compensation programs
- To view the 2008 Summer Convention Pictures go to www.eventpix.com.
Event is caaas08
Password is caaas08
- Broken Promises Broken Bodies
-
PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDATE - MPN
Joanne D'amato, DeMarco Foster, CAAA AND J. David Schwartz,
Petitioners,
v.
Division of Workers’ Compensation and Andrea Hoch
- VERIFIED PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS - PD Rating Schedule
VotersInjuredatWork.org, California Applicants' Attorneys Association, and J. David Schwartz
v.
Andrea Hoch, Administrative Director of the California Division of Workers' Compensation
- Appellate Court upholds work comp benefits for undocumented workers. Click here for the full text of the decision
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Governor vetoes AB 2081
Fails to Prohibit Fraud in Utilization Review and Limiting Classification of Employees as Officers and Directors of Closely Held Corporations
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
SACRAMENTO - Injured workers and their advocates today criticized the governor's
veto of AB 2081, authored by Assemblyman Joe Coto, Chair of the Assembly Insurance
Committee, and sponsored by the California Applicants' Attorneys Association. AB 2081
prohibited kickbacks from a utilization review company to third party administrators
(TPA) as an inducement to refer a workers' compensation claim for utilization review.
...more
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BILL BANNING BIAS IN DISABILITY BENEFITS IS
VETOED BY GOVERNOR
SB 1115 would have Prohibited Insurers from Penalizing Women,
Ethnic Minorities, Older Workers
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
SACRAMENTO - Injured workers and their advocates today criticized Governor Schwarzenegger's veto of Senate Bill 1115 (Migden, D - San Francisco). SB 1115 would
have banned discrimination by insurance carriers in determining disability compensation
for workers injured on the job. Sponsored by the California Applicants Attorneys'
Association (CAAA), SB 1115 passed the California Assembly on a 46 to 31 vote.
Currently, insurers and doctors are reducing permanent disability compensation based
... more
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Governor Refuses to Restore Compensation to
Permanently Disabled Workers: Advocates Vow to Keep Fighting,
Governor's alternative is inadequate
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sacramento, CA - Injured workers and their advocates today criticized Governor
Schwarzenegger's veto of SB 1717 (Perata, D - Oakland), which would have
restored compensation to permanently disabled workers. The injured workers'
advocates said the governor's own administrative proposal to restore a small
percentage of the permanent disability compensation he cut by 50% to 70%
....more
EAMS
If the DWC website does not answer your question, or you are reporting problems with EAMS implementation in general, or problems at the local boards or you have a solution or other information that other members can use to ease the transition into EAMS, please communicate via the CAAA EAMS email address: eams@caaa.org
Injured Workers' Horror Stories
Listserves & Lawnet
Are you a CAAA Regular member and want to join Lawnet, CAAA's listservice?
1. Download the CAAA Listserve Agreement, sign it and fax it back to the CAAA state office, (916) 444-0661.
2. Click here to join Lawnet
3. Complete information
4. As soon as your information has been verified, your account will be activated.
Questions?
Chapter Meetings
Chapter Meeting forms are posted as information becomes available. For more informaton about the chapters and their offficers see the Chapter pages.
PAC Contributors
Injured workers need us to unite with others who defend their rights, and they need us to do that now! We need to show that we are ready and willing to fight for full medical care for injured workers. We must show our willingness to fight ballot initiatives and protect injured workers’ medical rights.
Please complete the attached form and send it to the CAAA State office.
Injured Workers Get Active! |
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JOIN THE FIGHT - 
Has the workers' compensation system failed you? Are you ready to do something about it?
For more information go to VotersInjuredatWork.org
JOIN VotersInjuredatWork.org
 Download Membership Form PDF(33k)
Help preserve the rights of injured workers by telling your Legislators how the new law affects you. (Your zip code will connect you to your representative.)
To look up your Legislator go to http://www.legislature.ca.gov/port-zipsearch.html
Newsletter
Friends, attached is a new and exciting project designed by the CAAA Media Committee—a newsletter for you and your clients with the potential to reach hundreds of thousands of injured workers.
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