Permanent disability calculators that will fit in your pocket!
Permanent disability calculators that will fit in any pocket!

I was at the San Jose WCAB on Friday.  Since recently discovering that I could run this website’s permanent disability rating calculators from my phone’s web browser, this was the first time I left my rating manual, money chart, and date wheel in the car. ((Photo courtesy of .robbie))

It was great.  That morning I used my phone to:

  • Find the ADJ number associated with the legacy SJO number on my file
  • Calculate an Ogilvie adjustment of a rating string
  • Calculate the number days between two dates
  • Perform old and new schedule ratings
  • Perform a CVC (combined values chart) calculation ((Oh, and I called my client at one point.  Ha!))

The benefit for me is not so much that I don’t have to carry the rating manuals, dollar value charts, and date wheels.  Unlike these tools, my phone is not something I’m going to misplace or loan and never see again.

The best part is that if I want to refer back to the calculation I just performed, I can just e-mail it to myself!

Google
Google

Google has a saying, “launch early and iterate.”  Launch your idea, get feedback, make it better, keep doing it! As a friend of mine has delicately suggested, I’m no Google.  This doesn’t mean I can’t learn from Google, right?

Two of the calculators I’ve been developing are a commutation calculator (for pre-1/1/2003 injuries) and a retroactive benefits calculator.  I’ll discuss the commutation calculators more closer to their launch.

However, today is the day I’m publicly launching my Retroactive Benefits calculator!  Its fairly straight-forward.  You tell it the weekly rate, start date, end date, payment date, and an interest rate.  It tells you how many days, how much is due, how many days the benefit was delayed, and how much is due with interest.

Take a look, play around with it, let me know what you think.  Drop me a line or post a comment.

I received a few handouts regarding the new EAMS system while at the San Francisco WCAB yesterday. The WCAB SFO only had a limited number of these documents, so I’ve scanned my copy for everyone else’s benefit.

I also learned some interesting things about EAMS:

  1. Everyone knows that EAMS and the WCAB will reject your filings if you’re not registered with EAMS. Did you know that the Judges aren’t sure if EAMS will reject your filings if the employer is not registered?
  2. If a party brings physical paper exhibits, Judges will only be accepting the most important documents for filing (since the WCAB will be doing the scanning)
    • The parties will be expected to bring any possibly relevant exhibits. Any documents not accepted will be returned to the parties or shredded.
    • Judges will mainly be accepting just permanent and stationary reports.
  3. A party bringing a CD burned with scanned exhibits, will need to submit all medical files and documents which are typically required to be filed with the WCAB.
    • They will will not have the option of only submitting the most relevant exhibits.
  4. For the time being, normal walk through procedures are gone. Any new case activation would not be assigned a Board number until approximately 3 am after the day of submission. Be ready to drop off your walk throughs the day before you want to obtain approval.
  5. The EAMS forms haven’t been approved by the Office of Administrative Law and won’t be mandatory until approved.
  6. For the time being, every Board will have a telephone conference each morning starting at 8 am with their “command center.”
  7. The decision to go ahead with EAMS starting August 25, 2008 was only made on August 22, 2008!

More updates!

Now there are two links to the CCR’s. Its easier to search by code section through the DIR website, BUT its easier to search for a particular phrase through the Westlaw link. FYI: You don’t need a Westlaw account to use this service!

Have you seen the draft proposed 2009? Download it and take a look! Setting aside the issues of whether it will result in PD increases or decreases, there are some interesting changes from the 2005 schedule. This draft propsed 2009 schedule changes how age modifies a rating and completely revamps the FEC rank system. For more information, check out the DWC Newsline.

Are you fascinated by Benefits Notice Manuals? You’re in luck! Revised April 9, 2008.

What other downloads and links are you interested in? Drop a comment below or shoot me an e-mail.