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Spotlight: Scopelitis Workers’ Compensation Practice

Workers’ compensation claims in the transportation industry can give rise to many potential pitfalls and problems. For example, multiple states may have jurisdiction over traveling employees, leading to questions about insurance coverage requirements, independent contractor status, benefit requirements, available defenses to injury claims, recovery in third-party litigation, settlements in multiple jurisdictions, and other issues.

Claims Defense

Scopelitis workers’ compensation attorneys work from several of the Firm’s office locations to represent employers and insurance carriers nationwide. Firm attorneys assist with all facets of a work injury claim, from compensability determinations to litigation and appeal. Some claims have similarities that allow for expedient treatment. Many other claims involve unique factors or circumstances that require creative defenses or alternative resolutions that eliminate or minimize the potential cost of the claim for clients.

Scopelitis attorneys remain mindful of litigation costs when working with claims administrators, human resource managers, and risk management personnel to analyze and consider the most cost-effective strategy for resolving the many issues that can arise in a workers’ compensation case. Some of the key issues that can impact the cost include:

  • Surveillance
  • Owner-operator/independent contractor status
  • Proper jurisdiction
  • Light-duty options
  • Compensability decisions
  • Multi-state benefit calculations
  • Complex medical issues
  • Settlement

Workers’ Compensation Insurance Law

Scopelitis national practice attorneys have a detailed understanding of the rules and guidelines published by the National Council on Compensation Insurance and the variations of such rules and guidelines among and between independent and monopolistic states. Some of the issues that are regularly addressed include:

  • Experience modification ratings
  • Rating classification codes
  • Proper determination of wages and premiums
  • Assigned risk pool ramifications
  • Proper determination of independent contractor status as it affects premium
  • Jurisdictional issues that determine premium calculations
  • Other regulatory issues involving the interplay between insurance law and workers’ compensation law
  • Interstate operations of motor carriers

The Firm’s attorneys also assist insurance carriers and employers in designing and implementing specialized insurance products, such as occupational accident insurance coverage that was designed with the assistance of the Firm to respond to the unique needs of the trucking industry.

Contact the Firm’s experienced team of workers’ compensation attorneys for assistance in navigating claims and related matters: Carla Hounshel, Mary Beth Hughes, Margaret Krei, Andrew Marquis, Michael McFarlane, Victor Shane, Michael Tauscher, and Timothy Wiseman.

The Transportation Brief®

A quarterly newsletter of legal news for the clients and friends of Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary

News from Scopelitis is intended as a report to our clients and friends on developments affecting the transportation industry. The published material does not constitute an exhaustive legal study and should not be regarded or relied upon as individual legal advice or opinion.

Spotlight: Scopelitis Workers’ Compensation Practice

Workers’ compensation claims in the transportation industry can give rise to many potential pitfalls and problems. For example, multiple states may have jurisdiction over traveling employees, leading to questions about insurance coverage requirements, independent contractor status, benefit requirements, available defenses to injury claims, recovery in third-party litigation, settlements in multiple jurisdictions, and other issues.

Claims Defense

Scopelitis workers’ compensation attorneys work from several of the Firm’s office locations to represent employers and insurance carriers nationwide. Firm attorneys assist with all facets of a work injury claim, from compensability determinations to litigation and appeal. Some claims have similarities that allow for expedient treatment. Many other claims involve unique factors or circumstances that require creative defenses or alternative resolutions that eliminate or minimize the potential cost of the claim for clients.

Scopelitis attorneys remain mindful of litigation costs when working with claims administrators, human resource managers, and risk management personnel to analyze and consider the most cost-effective strategy for resolving the many issues that can arise in a workers’ compensation case. Some of the key issues that can impact the cost include:

  • Surveillance
  • Owner-operator/independent contractor status
  • Proper jurisdiction
  • Light-duty options
  • Compensability decisions
  • Multi-state benefit calculations
  • Complex medical issues
  • Settlement

Workers’ Compensation Insurance Law

Scopelitis national practice attorneys have a detailed understanding of the rules and guidelines published by the National Council on Compensation Insurance and the variations of such rules and guidelines among and between independent and monopolistic states. Some of the issues that are regularly addressed include:

  • Experience modification ratings
  • Rating classification codes
  • Proper determination of wages and premiums
  • Assigned risk pool ramifications
  • Proper determination of independent contractor status as it affects premium
  • Jurisdictional issues that determine premium calculations
  • Other regulatory issues involving the interplay between insurance law and workers’ compensation law
  • Interstate operations of motor carriers

The Firm’s attorneys also assist insurance carriers and employers in designing and implementing specialized insurance products, such as occupational accident insurance coverage that was designed with the assistance of the Firm to respond to the unique needs of the trucking industry.

Contact the Firm’s experienced team of workers’ compensation attorneys for assistance in navigating claims and related matters: Carla Hounshel, Mary Beth Hughes, Margaret Krei, Andrew Marquis, Michael McFarlane, Victor Shane, Michael Tauscher, and Timothy Wiseman.

News from Scopelitis is intended as a report to our clients and friends on developments affecting the transportation industry. The published material does not constitute an exhaustive legal study and should not be regarded or relied upon as individual legal advice or opinion.