2017 Winter Convention Schedule

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Choose a date below to see the panels offered.

Continuing Education Credits awarded when attending the entire convention:

Minimum Continuing Legal Education: 16.00 MCLE (including 1.00 Ethics)
Legal Specialization in Workers’ Compensation: 16.00 MCLE
Division of Workers’ Compensation: 4.5 QME

Click on the links below to see an extended description, panelists and continuing education credits for each session.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2017

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

CENTRAL COAST

Meetings: The Central Coast chapter meetings vary.
Location: Varies
Attendance fee: $45.00 CAAA Members $55.00 Non-Members
WCABS: Oxnard 1901 N. Rice Ave, Suite 200 Oxnard, CA 9303 (805) 485-2533
Santa Barbara 411 E. Canon Perdido, #2 Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (805) 968-0258

3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Medicare Set-asides: Questions and Answers

Can MSAs be rigged?
What should we be looking for in the MSA?
Does an MSA help or hinder settlement?
How do we challenge an MSA?
Does an MSA need to be sent to CMS for approval?
Structuring MSAs

Panel: Alan Gurvey, Esq. (Moderator); Saul Allweiss, Esq.; Ken Paradis, Esq.; Steven Chapman; Janice Skiljo-Haris
Credit: 1.5 MCLE, 1.5 Legal Specialization

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

How to Protect Injured Workers’ Collateral Benefits

Social Security offsets; "Hartman" formula
State Disability
Pensions, Long Term DIsability, PERS, and STRS
Medicare and MediCal
Affordable Care Act
Special Needs Trust

Panel: Lynne Brown, Esq. (Moderator); Justin Sonnicksen, Esq.; Roshele Snyder, Esq.; William Lindahl, Esq.
Credit: 1.0 MCLE, 1.0 Legal Specialization

6:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

“WELCOME RECEPTION” IN EXHIBIT HALL

Visit vendors, enjoy great music, and enter our drawing for a chance to win. Convention registrants will receive one (1) complimentary drink ticket and hors d’oeuvres. Must be a CAAA Regular Member to win.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Professional Responsibility & Conflicts of Interest

Professional referrals; the do’s and don’ts for lawyers and doctors
Attorney/client relationships
Facebook and other social media
Advertising on the internet
Website content
Blogging

Panel: Dirk Stemerman, Esq. (Moderator); Lisa Ivancich, Esq.; David Carr, Esq.
Credit: 1.0 MCLE (Ethics)

10:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

The Art of Cross-Examining Doctors

Preparing for the deposition
Communicating with the doctor
Knowing the medicine
Objectives and strategies
Evidence, objections and demeanor

Panel: Elliot Berkowitz, Esq. (Moderator); Keith More, Esq.; Barbara Thompson, Esq.; Carl Jacobs, Esq.; Timothy Reynolds, M.D.
Credit: 1.25 MCLE, 1.25 Legal Specialization

11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

For Regular Members Only. Name Badge is Required. Box lunch provided.

1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

THE CURRENT STATE OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION IN CALIFORNIA

The panel will discuss the important issues in workers’ compensation today, including implementation issues and regulations

Panel: Judge Paige Levy, DWC Chief Judge (Moderator); Christine Baker, Director of the Dept. of Industrial Relations; George Parisotto, DWC Acting Administrative Director
Credit: 1.25 MCLE, 1.25 Legal Specialization

2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Marvin Shapiro Memorial: Most Important Cases

The panel discusses the most important cases that have recently come down from the WCAB and appellate courts in California

Panel: Joseph Capurro, Esq. (Moderator); Honorable Colleen Casey; William Herreras, Esq.; Lawrence Silver, Esq.
Credit: 2.0 MCLE, 2.0 Legal Specialization

4:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Pearls of the MTUS: Treatment Practice Tips

Update on MTUS and opioids; what it means to injured workers
The implications of new legislation
SB 1160 strategies
How can injured workers obtain treatment when the defendant denies a claim, or does not authorize treatment with an MPN physician?

Panel: Adam Dombchik, Esq. (Co-Moderator); Jason Marcus, Esq. (Co-Moderator); Richard Wooley, Esq.; Megan Ruble, Esq.; Diane Worley, Esq.
Credit: 1.25 MCLE, 1.25 Legal Specialization, 1.0 QME

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2017
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Dissecting Discovery Techniques

Abuse of discovery
Objections to sub rosa video
How to deal with untimely service of video
Subpoenas Duces Tecums
Advocacy letters
Bank records
Witness statements
Facebook and other social media

Panel: Scott Rubel, Esq. (Moderator); Chris Azvar, Esq.; Sean Di Thomas, Esq.; James Tuthill
Credit: 1.25 MCLE, 1.25 Legal Specialization

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Finding a Doctor on the MPN: A Statistical Study of Five MPN Lists

Percentage of doctors listed on an MPN who initially agree to see a patient based on the applicant attorney's request?
Percentage of doctors listed on an MPN who refuse to see injured workers
Excuses MPN doctors use to refuse to treat injured workers
Steps to take to obtain authorization for treatment within MPN
What constitutes denial of care?
Treating outside the MPN

Panel: Tom Martin, Esq. (Moderator); Charles Rondeau, Esq.; Sylvia Joo, Esq.; Bita Adham, Esq.
Credit: 1.25 MCLE, 1.25 Legal Specialization

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2017
9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

The Legal Issues Underlying Psyche Cases in 2017 and Beyond

Does the “psyche standard” apply to physical injuries? (The McCoy and Wang cases)
Does the Larsen case shed light on what constitutes a “violent” act? Can we extrapolate this definition to a “catastrophic injury?”
What are the arguments for a “secondary” psychological condition actually being a primary “physical” injury?
Labor Code §4662 total disability exception to the “psyche repealer”
Good faith personnel action; Rolda revisited

Panel: Juliana Guerriero, Esq. (Moderator); Ed Stone, Esq.; Honorable Shiloh
Rasmusson; Gabor Vari, M.D.
Credit: 1.25 MCLE, 1.25 Legal Specialization, 1.25 QME

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

How to Handle Brain Injury Cases, Stroke Cases & Other Catastrophic Injuries

What is a MTBI?
When is a stroke industrial?
Specialists used for treatment and evaluations in catastrophic cases
How do you assess the value of a catastrophic case?
Settlements; structure alternatives
Vocational analysis

Panel: Barry Gorelick, Esq. (Moderator); Tina Odjaghian, Esq.; Gary Kaplan, Esq.; Fernando Gonzalez, Ph.D.; Enrique Vega
Credit: 1.25 MCLE, 1.25 Legal Specialization, 1.25 QME

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