Preventing Workers' Compensation Abuse

How prevalent is workers' compensation abuse in the United States? Even by the smallest estimates, workers' compensation abuse costs Americans $1 billion a year. What can employers and insurance companies do to prevent this problem?

This webinar helps employers and insurance carriers responsible for handling workers' compensation claims, to understand the scope of the problem, and to recognize fraudulent claims before they spiral out of control.

In this material we will identify best practices for employers and insurance carriers to prevent abuse and identify strategies for managing the cost of potentially abusive claims. We will also discuss some of the legal tools available to employers and claims professionals in mitigating these risks including negotiation, accident investigation, and litigation.

AGENDA

What Does Workers' Compensation Abuse Look Like?

• Defining Abuse in Workers' Compensation Setting
  
• Statistics – Scope of the Problem and Cost
  
• The Defense Perspective: Our Personal Experience
  
• Examples

• Accident Prevention
  
• Good Hiring Practices
  
• Adequate Training
  
• Defining and Enforcing Safety Rules
  
• Handling Claims
  
• Prompt Investigation
  
• Maintaining Positive Rapport
  
• Controlling Medical
  
• Litigation Strategies
  
• Return to Work

• Identifying Claims With Abuse Potential
  
• Establishing and Maintaining Contact With Employer and Employee
  
• Engaging the Claim
  
• Litigation
  
• Nurse Case Management
  
• Vocational Rehabilitation
  
• Surveillance

• Currently serves as vice president of McCandlish Holton, P.C. and is chair of both the firm’s Litigation and Workers’ Compensation Practice Groups
  
• Handles all aspects of commercial litigation, including insurance coverage disputes involving employment matters; covenants not to compete; commercial disputes; and premises and product liability
  
• Regularly represents employers and carriers before the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission
  
• More than 21 years of experience defending employers and carriers with workers’ compensation matters; he also leads one of the largest workers’ compensation defense practice groups in the state
  
• Significant trial experience in state and federal courts, he also has considerable appellate experience arguing numerous matters before the Court of Appeals of Virginia, the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  
• Has expertise frequently representing clients in alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration
  
• J.D. degree, cum laude, Washington and Lee University; B.S. degree, magna cum laude, James Madison University

• Director in McCandlish Holton, P.C.’s Litigation Department
  
• Focuses practice in the areas of business and commercial litigation, workers’ compensation, products liability and premises liability
  
• Since entering private practice, he has had significant trial experience including appellate experience arguing matters before the Virginia Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Virginia
  
• Defended automotive manufacturers and dealerships in products liability, breach of warranty and breach of contract matters. In addition, he has experience defending employment matters involving breach of noncompete agreements, and advising employers on reducing workplace injuries and implementing individualized risk management strategies
  
• Prior to entering private practice, he clerked for the Honorable A. Christian Compton, Senior Justice, of the Supreme Court of Virginia
  
• J.D. degree, Washington and Lee University; B.A. degree, University of Virginia

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