Welcome to the Workers' Compensation Section Home Page.
Your Executive Council has created this site in an effort to encourage and facilitate communication and exchange of ideas among the members of our Section. Enjoy! The purpose of the Workers' Compensation Section is to provide an organization within The Florida Bar open to all members in good standing who have a common interest in workers' compensation law. The Section provides a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas leading to the improvement of individual trial abilities in workers' compensation cases.
Send mail with questions or comments about this web site to:
Richard J Manno, Esq. Workers Compensation Section Technology Chair 4767 New Broad Street, Orlando, FL., 32814 (407) 484-0666 rmanno@orlandoworkerscomplaw.com
Please use the social media links below to stay well informed about the section's events and information regarding the practice of workers’ compensation within the state.
Legal Fuel (Please identify yourself as a section member)
LET US BE THE LEADERS OF PROFESSIONALISM, CIVILITY AND HUMAN KINDNESS
We are in the most difficult time any of us have ever seen in our lifetime. We must raise our professionalism standards to the highest level. We must all work together to weather the COVID-19 storm. Please be cooperative and civil to each other. Work hard to resolve issues quickly and efficiently. Injured workers need benefits and employers and carriers need resolution to the cases. We as attorneys can and should set an example of professionalism, civility and human kindness for the community.
We should not engage in “gamesmanship” or any other tactic thinking you might gain some advantage. We should not be engaging in unnecessary litigation or delay tactics. Do not put anyone’s health at risk. If possible, cancel or reset depositions or just let everyone appear by phone or videoconference, including the court reporters. We can and should resolve cases and issues by doing as much by phone as possible. Be cooperative in rescheduling and granting extensions.
We all have families and lives outside of the workers’ compensation world, and our families, our health, and our lives are more important than any case. Be kind and compassionate as many are suffering. Be safe and protect your health for the sake of your family, your staff and most importantly, yourself. There are many people counting on all of us as we are all in this together. We will get through this and it will change how we live our lives forever.
The Florida Board of Bar Examiners announces that it has begun a comprehensive analysis of the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are critical for newly-licensed Florida lawyers. The results of the study will assist the Board in its ongoing assessment of the Florida Bar Examination and inform any recommendations the Board may make to the Supreme Court of Florida about future format and content of the examination.
The board is seeking participants for a special panel that will consist of practicing attorneys, the judiciary, and law school faculty who have experience working with newly-licensed Florida attorneys. The panel will meet with the board and its experts in May or June of this year to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are critical for newly-licensed Florida attorneys. A full copy of the press release regarding this study is attached.
If you are interested in participating in the study, please complete the declaration of interest form and e-mail it with attachments to Brian Rains at RainsB@flcourts.org by April 9, 2020.
The correct Notary language to be used on forms signed after January 1, 2020 and submitted to the JCC is below. Some forms may be rejected as not being in compliance with the law if this language is not used.
The new language is:
STATE OF
COUNTY OF
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me by means of ☐ physical presence or ☐ online notarization, this (date) by (name of person acknowledging), who is personally known to me or who has produced (type of identification) as identification.
(Signature of person taking acknowledgment)
(Name typed, printed or stamped)
(Title or rank)
(Serial number, if any)
STATE OF
COUNTY OF
Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me, by means of ☐ physical presence or ☐ online notarization, this ____ day of _______, __(year), by __________ ......
Hotel accommodations *Reservations are dependent on availability within our room block.*
Deadline March 4th,click here
Join The Workers’ Compensation Section of the Florida Bar and the Association of Workers’ Compensation Claims Professionals (WCCP)
Our two day program is delivered across two educational tracks centered around the Florida Bar’s traditional Certification Review Course and attended by members of the Florida Bar, board certified workers’ compensation adjusters seeking to earn or maintain their advanced board certification, and other members of Florida’s workers’ compensation claims community.
Arrive early for a welcome cocktail in David’s Club on Wednesday evening at 7:00p.m. On Thursday, following Oral Arguments with the First DCA, our Law Firm Sponsors invite you to join them for a cocktail reception, allowing the opportunity to network with an elite group of Workers’ Compensation legal and claims professionals from technicians to decision-makers.
Returning for 2020: Oral Arguments with the First DCA!
In October we held our long-range planning meeting for the Workers’ Compensation Section. Rosemary Eure is heading up the committee which is drafting a long-range plan for our section. We are focusing on continuing to improve communication with our members. We want to provide information and assistance to our members in the quickest and most efficient manner. The meeting was very successful and had excellent attendance and participation.
The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) recommended another rate decrease in workers’ compensation premiums for employers of 5.4%. While this sounded good for industry, the insurance commissioner and CFO Jimmy Patronis reviewed the filing and determined the proper rate reduction should be 7.5%. This is very good news for Florida businesses and is proof that the reaction by NCCI to the Supreme Court’s decisions in Castellanos and Miles was overblown. Since those decisions, Florida businesses have seen rate reductions of over 20%. This is confirmation that the reforms of 2003 worked. The results and rates are proof that the Supreme Court’s decisions in Castellanos and Miles did not have the negative impact that NCCI thought might happen. It again shows the Florida economy is strong and employers are benefiting from the reforms.
The Statewide Judicial Nominating Commission was finally able to get three applicants for Judge Diane Beck’s position and recently met to interview the candidates. The difficulty in getting three people to apply should be a concern to all of us and is likely the result of the judges not having a pay increase in over 13 years! The section continues to support legislation to provide a much-needed pay raise for the judges of compensation claims, and the issue remains a part of our legislative platform.
Please help us support this positive legislation by speaking to your state senators and representatives and encouraging them to support this pay raise for the judges. Remember to tell them that not one penny of the judges’ pay or the pay raise will come from General Tax Revenue. 100% of the money comes from the Administrative Trust Fund which is 100% funded by a percentage of workers’ compensation premium payments and no tax revenue is used to fund the Workers’ Compensation system.
If the workers’ compensation system is to remain stable, we must have good judges who work hard and who issue sound rulings based on the law and the facts. These judges must be learned in the law and be willing to give up their law practices to serve the people of the state of Florida. Sound rulings following the law lead to a more efficient system and help all lawyers who practice workers’ compensation to give sound advice to their clients.
All of us who practice in the area of workers’ compensation work in a very stressful environment. It is important for us to take care of both our physical and mental health. If you ever have problems and need someone to talk with or need to get help, please reach out to your executive council members or to your friends in the legal community as we all need to be there to help each other.
I hope everyone is enjoying a safe and happy holiday season, and I wish everyone the best of health and happiness in 2020.
