Hot enough for you? High heat increases accidents and injuries, while exacerbating numbers of workers’ compensation claims. By Lonce Lamonte - August 12, 2024 Traumatic injuries, such as fractures, contusions, and lacerations are more likely to occur than sprains and strains when workers are feeling excessive heat. These more traumatic injuries are consistent with events like ladder falls. In a study done earlier in this year, 2024, it was reported that both hot and cold days have more workers’ compensation injuries than milder weather days. The rate of increases and types of injuries vary according to whether extreme temperatures are hot or cold or if precipitation is involved. Read More

California’s self-insureds for workers’ compensation in the private sector had fewer claims in 2023 but those claims held higher losses By Lonce Lamonte - August 3, 2024 California’s self-insured businesses in the private sector, meaning not to include all self-insureds that are government entities, had higher losses to their fewer claims in 2023 over 2022. The self-insured claims volume for private businesses fell by 9.5 percent in the year 2023. This was the biggest year-to-year decline in claim frequency for the private sector in more than 15 years. According to the California Workers’ Compensation Institute’s (CWCI’s) review of the California office of Self-Insurance Plans (SIP), total paid losses were driven sharply higher for self-insured employers in the private sector. Read More

California's Department of Industrial Relations' (DIR's) Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) Posts California Medical-Legal Quality Assurance Checklist By Lonce Lamonte, adjustercom editor using DWC Newsline's News Release Dated July 31st 2024 - July 31, 2024 The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) has posted a checklist to help medical practitioners (QMEs, AMEs, IMEs, and PTPs) write consistent and accurate medical-legal reports. Accurate report writing facilitates the prompt provision of appropriate benefits to injured workers. Topics include practical guidance on all aspects of preparing a medical-legal report, as well as definitions for important terms and concepts. Read More

California's Divison of Workers' Compensation (DWC) San Bernardino District Office to Close Temporarily By Lonce Lamonte, adjustercom editor with DWC Newsline news release for July 18th 2024 - July 18, 2024 The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) today announced that its San Bernardino district office will be temporarily closed for approximately six to eight weeks beginning Monday, July 22, 2024, due to excessive heat and needed repairs to a currently inoperable air conditioning system. Please check the San Bernardino district office page for regular status updates during this closure. If you have a trial set at this office, please call the assigned judge’s conference line, unless instructed otherwise. Read More

More News

July 15, 2024 - The WCIRB Releases Update to Report of Economic Changes Upon Workers' Compensation in California

July 9, 2024 - California's Division of Workers' Compensation Accepting Applications for Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) Examination on October 4th -- 10th 2024

July 1, 2024 - California's Division of Workers' Compensation Posts Adjustments to Official Medical Fee Schedule (Hospital Outpatient Departments/Ambulatory Surgical Centers)

July 1, 2024 - California's Division of Workers' Compensation Posts Adjustments to Official Medical Fee Schedule for Pathology and Clinical Laboratory

June 21, 2024 - California Division of Workers' Compensation Posts Adjustments to Official Medical Fee Schedule (DMEPOS)

June 20, 2024 - Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) Release Independent Medical Review (IMR) Report for 2023 Data

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