Live From Las Vegas!
4:30 PM (Pacific)
I’m sorry that it’s been a couple of weeks since my last post. It isn’t that my mind has been on matters other than workers’ compensation. In fact, particularly during the past ten days, I’ve spent even more hours than usual on the topic. First, I had a big writing deadline for Lexis-Nexis at October’s end; then I needed to turn my attention to the fact that six months ago I had agreed to serve on three separate expert panels of the 21st Annual “National Workers’ Compensation and Disability Conference” held each year in Las Vegas (I’m typing this blog entry via a Wi-Fi connection near the Sports Book of the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, where Jane and I have spent the past three nights.
The first of the panels was held Wednesday afternoon. Titled, “The Future of Exclusive Remedy,” I served as Moderator and Speaker. The other speakers were my friend and Durham, NC colleague, Lex Larson, author of Larson’s Workers’ Compensation Law, Albert Betts, Esq., Thompson Coe Cousins & Irons, LLP (Austin, TX), Kevin L. Connors, Esq., ConnorsLaw LLP (Exton, PA), and Lawrence J. Pascal, Esq., Ashcraft & Gerel, LLP (Alexandria, VA).
My other two panels took place yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. Stuart Colburn, Esq., Downs Stanford, PC (Austin, TX), Robert G. Rassp, Esq., Law Office of Robert G. Rassp (Sherman Oaks, CA), and I were speaker/presenters for a lively discussion entitled, “Causation: Medical, Versus Legal, Impairment, and Mental Trauma.” At the conclusion of that discussion, the same three of us then moved to another conference room where we were the featured speakers for a session entitled, “Employee or Independent Contractor? The Impact of Misclassification.”
Prior to our Wednesday afternoon presentation, I was pleased to attend the first ever “Larson’s National Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board” meeting. Supervised and supported by the abundantly talented, Robin Kobayashi, J.D., Workers’ Compensation Practice Lead Editor for Lexis-Nexis (publisher of Larson’s Workers’ Compensation Law), the Board consists of more than 30 members from around the nation. Many were able to attend this inaugural Board meeting. While the Larson Board’s Executive Committee, consisting of Robin Kobayashi, Becki Shafer, President, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. (xx), Brad Bleakney, Bleakney & Troiani (Chicago, IL), Stuart Colburn (mentioned above), Lex Larson and me, has a spirited hour and a half conference call each month, the entire Advisory Board had never been brought together “under one roof.” It was great to put some faces with names of folks with whom I exchange email.
The conference is in the can. Jane and I fly back to Durham on a red-eye late tonight. My schedule should return to normal and I plan soon to post some points regarding interesting developments in the comp world.