Terrence Ruffins

Written by: Michael Parker Initial Evaluations on Disputed Claims One of my many pet peeves in this business is the jurisprudential/case law requirement that an employer/payor is obligated to pay for an employee’s initial evaluation with the doctor to whom their lawyer has sent them, even if the claim is disputed or there is no […]

Written by: Andres Gomez Old Habits Die Hard – The Comeback of the Occupational Hearing Loss Claim Occupational hearing loss claims were all the rage just before COVID. Unfortunately, they appear to be making a significant comeback. There are three main decisions that have emboldened the plaintiff bar to file these claims. In Arrant v. Graphic

Written by: Corey Meaux A Settlement Isn’t a Settlement until a Judge Says It’s a Settlement Remember, under the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Act, all settlements must be submitted to a judge for approval before it is binding on the parties. The mere reaching a full and final settlement agreement among the parties, or even confirming the settlement terms

Written by: Patrick A. Johnson Leverage the holidays to get more settlements across the finish line Although most attorneys/claimants are always in the mood to settle, there is something about the last two months of the year that sees a greater number of claims settle and often at a discount. Both the claimant and their

Written by: Brennan Smith Compensability and the “identifiable accident” requirement One of the most common points of confusion in Louisiana workers’ compensation law revolves around what qualifies as a compensable accident. At its core, the workers’ compensation system requires an employee to have sustained an accident while in the course and scope of their employment

Written by: Andres Gomez Occupational hearing loss claims were all the rage just before COVID. Unfortunately, they appear to be making a significant comeback. There are three main decisions that have emboldened the plaintiff bar to file these claims. In Arrant v. Graphic Packaging Intern., Inc., (169 So.3d 296), the court specifically addressed whether gradual

Written By: Andres Gomez There is a belief that once the claimant’s treating physician determines the claimant to be “permanently and totally disabled”, they are entitled to “Permanent and Total Disability” benefits. Despite sounding similar, that are two different concepts. While a physician can certainly provide an opinion of disability for purposes of receiving benefits under LSA-R.S. 23:1221(2), only

Written By: Charles Taylor Matthews Managing Workers’ Compensation Risks for Remote Employees in Louisiana: What Employers and Insurers Need to Know As remote work becomes increasingly prevalent in Louisiana, employers and workers’ compensation insurers must adapt to the legal implications of injuries sustained outside traditional workplaces. Under Louisiana law, remote employees can qualify for workers’ compensation

Written By: Corey C. Meaux Physical Approval and Vocational Rehabilitation This question has suddenly come up a few times over the last month or so from various clients, so I wanted to set the record straight when it comes to whether jobs found through vocational rehabilitation need physician approval. When an employee is injured on

Written By: Michael Parker But what is ‘present value’ and how do we use it? In accounting terms, Present Value is the current worth of a future sum of money given at a specified rate of return (this is why I went to law school and did not become a CPA).  In our world, we