12/15/2023: Mastering Medical Legal Report Writing: Unraveling Complexities

Friday, December 15, 2023

12:00 PM - 3:30 PM Pacific, Online via Zoom

Mastering Medical Legal Report Writing: Unraveling Complexities

Delve into the intricacies of medical legal report writing and unlock your potential to create reports that withstand scrutiny, effectively communicate findings, and serve as compelling evidence in legal proceedings. Differentiate between contributing-causal factors, both industrial and nonindustrial, influencing the resultant permanent disability. Develop proficiency in assessing the percentage of permanent disability caused by work injuries or industrial exposure, while considering the impact of other nonindustrial contributing factors. Learn to employ the most accurate impairment rating and provide substantial medical evidence within a reasonable degree of medical probability, reinforcing the credibility of your evaluations and supporting your conclusions effectively. You'll also discuss when to utilize the Almaraz Guzman (A-G) Analysis, and analyze the application of the Combined Values Chart (CVC). 

Led by esteemed experts in the field, this course combines in-depth knowledge, practical insights, and interactive learning to empower you as a physician. 

Not able to attend this session live?

This activity will be recorded and converted to an online enduring material available for credit. 

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of this activity, the learner will be able to:

  • Differentiate all of the contributing-causal factors, both industrial and nonindustrial, of the resultant permanent disability

  • Determine the approximate percentage of the permanent disability caused by the work injury or industrial exposure, and what approximate percentage was caused by other nonindustrial contributing-causal factors 

  • Employ the most accurate impairment rating and provide substantial medical evidence within a reasonable degree of medical probability to support the rating 

  • Describe when to utilize the Almaraz Guzman (A-G) Analysis

  • Describe the Combined Values Chart (CVC), and identify when it may be appropriate to rebut the CVC in favor of adding impairment ratings

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Audience

This educational activity is intended for Qualified Medical Evaluators (QMEs), clinicians including MD/DO, physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and others involved in the California Workers' Compensation system.

Registration Fees

Single Course Registration: $75.00

4-Course Series: $200.00

Click here to learn about the other courses in the series, and to register for the 4-Course Package.

Course Format

This course is a live, synchronous offering, and will be taught online via Zoom.

Accessibility

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) to fully participate in this event, please contact Michelle Meyer at (510) 642-8365 or mmeyer@berkeley.edu.

Dr. Steven Feinberg:

Photo of Dr. Steven Feinberg

Speaker Biography:

Dr. Steven Feinberg is Board Certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the American Board of Pain Medicine and the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine. He is a California Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME). Dr. Feinberg is a past president (1996) of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. He served as a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery (CSIMS) and served as Year 2001 President. In 2006, he received the Silver Scalpel Award from CSIMS. He serves on the Board of Directors of the American Chronic Pain Association.

JOSHUA KIRZ, Ph.D.

Joshua Kirz, Ph.D., is an Associate Clinical Professor at Standford University School of Medicine in the Anesthesia / Pain and Psychiatry Departments. He also works in medical-legal evaluation for private practice. Dr. Kirz recieved his PhD in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1995. He is a member of the DWC Medical Evidence Evaluation Advisory Committee (MEEAC), DWC Medical-Legal Report Quality Committee, and DWC EAMS Modernization Committee.

Dr. Ira B. Fishman

Photo of Dr. Ira B. Fishman

Speaker Biography:

Ira B. Fishman MD, QME, graduated with honors from City College of New York, earning a BS in psychology in 1969. In 1975, he graduated from the University of Florence Medical School (Florence, Italy) with an MD degree, with all instruction and exams completed in Italian. From 1976 to 1979, he finished his post-graduate internal medicine training at hospitals affiliated with the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester MA. Dr. Fishman is a board-certified internist (since 1980) and internal medicine QME (since 1999), who has exclusively practiced forensic internal medicine over the last 21 years. He is currently associated with Exam Works (EW), with EW evaluation offices located in Monterey and San Francisco. 

Adam D. Dombchik, J.D.

Photo of Adam Dombchik, JD

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY:

Co-Managing Partner Adam D. Dombchik began advocating for the rights of the injured early in his career. He started working for the firm while attending night school at Southwestern University School of Law. He joined as a full-time lawyer after graduation and was named partner in 2005. Mr. Dombchik received the Exceptional Achievement Award in Workers' Compensation Law & Practice from his alma mater, Southwestern University, where he now serves as an adjunct professor. Recognized by the California State Bar as a Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation, Mr. Dombchik is a Past President and Legislative Committee Chairperson of the California Applicants' Attorneys Association (CAAA). He is licensed to practice law in California and Florida.

Raymond F. Correio, JD

Photo of Raymond Correio

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY:

Raymond Correio is a senior associate with Pearlman, Brown & Wax. Before joining the firm he was a Workers’ Compensation Judge assigned to both the Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey District Offices for approximately twelve years. He retired from the bench in 2009. Prior to taking the bench he was with his own firm. He is the author of widely used sports law and apportionment case law summaries. He has also authored numerous articles on a variety of topics published by LexisNexis and other legal publications.  He has spoken on many occasions to help train physicians on apportionment at the CSIM’s (California Society of Industrial Medicine) annual conferences.

Course Agenda

12:00 PM - 12:45 PM: Lecture - Permanent Disability, New and Further Disability, and Apportionment

12:45 PM - 1:30 PM: Panel Discussion and Q&A

1:30 PM - 1:45 PM: Break

1:45 PM - 2:30 PM: Lecture - Standard AMA Guides Rating, Almaraz Guzman Analysis, and Combined Values Chart

2:30 PM - 3:15 PM: Panel Discussion and Q&A

3:15 PM - 3:25 PM: Breakout Room Discussion

3:25 PM - 3:30 PM: Closing Comments

Accreditation:

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health is accredited by the California Medical Association to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health designates this live course for a maximum of 3.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 12983, for 3.25 contact hours. 

The UC Berkeley Center for Occupational and Environmental Health is a DIR DWC approved QME Continuing Education Course Provider (Provider No. 420). Qualified Medical Evaluators may report up to 3.25 hours of credit for QME reappointment.