Become Involved in Selection of Defense Attorneys. Consider Team Requirements.

Conduct a Chemistry Experiment Partnerships with law firms in containing workers compensation costs are doomed to failure if the team members are incompatible. Unfortunately, there is nothing comparable to eHarmony.com in determining the right match for you from the comp defense bar. Nevertheless, you can and should conduct a chemistry experiment. Like it or not, personality enters into the equation when picking a good workers compensation defense attorney. Aside from professional competence, compatibility should be another criterion for picking a workers compensation defense attorney. Can you get along for the long haul? Does the attorney listen as well as talk? Does the attorney ask you what your needs are? Is she accessible by phone? How well with the lawyer come across to a Hearing Commissioner? Subjective as these factors are, they are nevertheless legitimate considerations in picking good workers compensation defense attorneys. These factors also highlight the wisdom of meeting candidate counsel face to face before making the choice. Yogi Berra was not thinking of counsel selection when he said, “You can learn a lot by watching,” but he could have been. Take Yogi’s advise and you have a better chance of not striking out when it comes to finding the best workers compensation defense attorney for you and your company. Litigation management is a skill and a skill that any insurance, risk or claim professional can learn. Litigation management applies not just to general liability, product liability or mass tort claims. It applies to workers compensation claim management as well. Whether you are insured, self-insured or some blend of the two, you can use the tips provided in this series to upgrade the caliber of your workers compensation defense counsel. Get involved in counsel selection. Do not wait until you have a contested claim. Use this checklist of seven factors to professionalize the due diligence procedure. Better defense counsel can pay dividends in lower transaction costs and more “wins” on contested cases! Kevin Quinley CPCU, AIC, ARM is a claims consultant, trainer, speaker and expert witness. He is the author of ten books on various aspects of claims management. He is a contributing author to the IIA textbook for the Associate in Claims courses, Principles of Workers Compensation Claims (Second Edition) 1998. You can reach Kevin at kquinley@cox.net, by phoning (703) 239-1694 or via his website, www.kevinquinley.com THANK YOU KEVIN. GREAT TIPS AND INSIGHT YOU HAVE SHARED. Try the WC Cost Calculator to show the REAL COST of work comp. Look at WC 101 for the basics about workers comp. Workers’ Comp Kit^® is a web-based online Assessment, Benchmarking and Cost Containment system for employers. It provides all the materials needed to reduce your costs significantly in 85% less time than if you designed a program from scratch. Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws are different. Consult with your corporate legal counsel before implementing any cost containment programs. ©2008 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. If you would like permission to reprint this material, contact Info@WorkersCompKit.com