Pappas & Suchma Seminars

Active Seminar Synopsis

I.          Annual Seminars: Once a year the firm conducts an all day seminar for clients. This seminar is also video taped and the presentation is submitted for CE credits. We do arrange that these tapes be played in the presence of a proctor for CE credits. The following seminars are currently available:

A.    Workers’ Compensation 2008: 6.5 hours of CE, 1.5 is ethics. This course features Patti Star discussing the ODG and MDA; Mary Markantonis discussing premises liability: Lisa Teachey discussing Subrogation; Dr. John Griffith discussing malingering; Jane Suchma and Tommy Smith discussing bad faith and the DTPA; Stoney Burke and Renee Keeney discussing Guides and Enforcement; and Dean Pappas discussing non subscriber suits. Available on CD. Certified through April 27, 2012.

B.     Workers’ Compensation 2010: 6.5 hours of CE. TDI improperly processed our app and left out the request for 1.5 hours of CP. This course features Dr. Francisco Perez discussing mental trauma claims; Dr. Philip Osborne discussing causation for extent of injury cases; Pattie Starr discussing case management; Jane Suchma discussing bad faith; Dean Pappas discussing premises liability; Tommy Smith discussing waiver and work hardening issues. Available on DVD. Certified through May 2012.

C. Workers’ Compensation 2011: 7.0 hours of CE, with 1.50 for ethics. This course features Dr. James Hood discussing determination and analysis of the extent of injury, Dr. Richard Baratta presenting injury biomechanics and Dr. Goran Jezic discussing fundamentals of EMG and nerve conduction studies. The course also includes our attorneys presenting deviation and assault, uninsured motorist and subrogation. Available on DVD.  Certified through April 2013.

II.        Denying the Claim: all courses based on the Act/Rules/APP/Court cases.

A.                The Adjusting Process and Waiver: Compensability I: 2 hours CE; This is a basics course dealing with initial investigation and evaluation of claims with a focus on notice, extent of injury, 15 day issues, 60 day issues, newly discovered evidence, and the timeliness and sufficiency of the PLN forms. There is extensive treatment of the duty of good faith. Only available in class presentation format. This seminar is certified throughMay 28, 2012. Of the approved two hours, 1 hour is for Ethics/CP.

B.                 Compensability of Off the Clock Injuries: Compensability II: 2 hours of CE; This covers course and scope issues related to claims arising off the clock or away from premises, such as the coming and going rule, dual purpose doctrine, special mission claims, issues with newly hired or terminated employees, working after hours and moonlighting and follow on injuries. Live presentation only. This course is certified through May 28, 2012.

C.                 Compensability III - Deviation & Assault: 2 hours of CE. This course covers the defenses of deviation to include business trips and travel cases, emergencies and violations of employer rules; assault; horseplay; Acts of God; and Election of Remedies. Live presentation only. This course is certified through July 21, 2013.

Deviation & Assault Claims:

However, a scaled down version of this course is available for one hour ofgeneral credit, currently certified through July 18, 2013.

D.                Compensability IV: 2 hours of CE. This course covers the defenses of ordinary disease of life to include positional risk cases, intoxication, employer/employee issues, and 30-day and 1-year defenses. Please note this course is not currently available as it is under reconstruction and then will be recertified.

III.       Adjusting the Compensable Injury

A.                From  TIBs to IIBs: 2 hours of CE; This course covers adjusting issues that arise after the adjuster has accepted compensability such as disability and disability management, treating doctor, use of peers and RMEs, designated doctors, and MMI. Live presentation only. This course is certified though July 13, 2013.

B.                 MDR after HB7: 2 hours of CE; This course covers medical disputes before the Division and before HWCN to include fee disputes, preauthorization and concurrent review disputes, and retrospective medical necessity disputes. Additionally there is some discussion of general medical management issues. Live presentation only. This course is currently certified through August 7, 2011.

C.                 IIBs, SIBs, LIBs and DIBs: 2 hours of CE. This course is not currently available as it is under reconstruction and will then be recertified.

D.                Average Weekly Wage: 2 hours of CE. This course is a comprehensive treatment of average weekly wage issues to include such matters as concurrent employment, school district AWW, etc. Live presentation only. This course is certified through June 1, 2012.

E.                 Bona Fide Offers of Employment: 2 hours of CE. This course is a comprehensive treatment of the topic to include the statutory provisions, the applicable Rules and panel decisions. Live presentation only. This course is certified through March 15, 2012.

F.                  Designated Doctor: 2 hours of CE. This course is a comprehensive treatment of the Act/Rules/panel decisions and a smattering of case law for the DD process, to include some discussion of how the adjuster can use the DD process in the course of adjusting the case. Live presentation only. This course is certified through December 6, 2012.

G.                Pharmacy Services: 2 hours of CE. This course deals with the carrier’s obligations under the Act/Rules regarding coverage for prescriptions to include rules related to providing initial pharmacy services, the statement of medical necessity, open and closed formularies, and formal and informal networks. Live presentation only. This course is certified through August 10, 2013.

IV.       Subrogation:

A.                Subrogation Under The Texas Workers’ Comp Act: 2 hours CE. This course covers all adjusting aspects of subrogation from identifying the appropriate claim to maximizing the carrier’s recovery, including an overview of conversion issues. Live presentation only. This course is certified through July 27, 2013.

V.        Bad Faith

            A.        Adjusting Claims to Avoid Bad Faith Litigation: 2 hours CE, allethics/CP. This course explores cases involving breach of the duty of goodand fair 

                        dealing, focusing on adjusting the workers’ compensation claim to avoid such claims. This course has been certified through August 3, 2011.