Tuesday, August 21, 2018

1:00 – 3:30 pm
Grand Ballrooms 11 & 12
Convention Level

(Day 2 of this program is on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 beginning at 8:30 am in Grand Ballroom 8A.)

Program Moderator:
Robert L. Bamdas, Attorney
Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea & BenMaier, PLLC
Boca Raton, FL

1:00 – 2:20 pm
Tract One Topic I
Judges and Attorneys Breakout

Grand Ballroom 11
Convention Level

Panel:
Honorable Paul Almanza
Associate Chief Judge
U.S. Department of Labor
Washington, DC

Honorable Patrick Rosenow
Administrative Law Judge
U.S. Department of Labor
Covington, LA

Mark Reinhalter
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of the Solicitor
Washington, DC

Frank Sioli, Attorney
Sioli Alexander Pino
Miami, FL

Anthony Cortese, Attorney
Anthony V. Cortese Attorney at Law
Tampa, FL

This session is back by popular demand and is designed to give attorneys and judges the opportunity to discuss hot topics relative to pre-hearing protocol, hearing procedure, and substantive issues. This includes standards of proof, sufficiency of evidence, and some of the critical issues presented for judicial determination including average weekly wage, jurisdiction, Section 22 modification, Mitri Orders, loss of wage earning capacity, and attorney’s fees.

1:00 – 2:20 pm
Tract Two Topic I
Adjusters, Employers and the OWCP Breakout
Grand Ballroom 12
Convention Level

Panel:
David Widener, District Director
U.S. Department of Labor
Jacksonville, FL

Deanna Parker, Claims Examiner
U.S. Department of Labor
Jacksonville, FL

Joel Romero, Claims Examiner
U.S. Department of Labor
Jacksonville, FL

Chase Zobec, Attorney
Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea & BenMaier, PLLC
Boca Raton, FL

Rebecca Stillman, Attorney
Gillis, Mermell & Pacheco, PA
Miami, FL

This session will provide an opportunity for employers and claims adjusters to have face-to-face interaction with the District Director and Claims Examiners and to discuss questions and issues of concern for all stakeholders before the OWCP. Accident reporting, forms, penalties, and the informal conference process will be explored.

2:20 – 2:30 pm
Break

2:30 – 3:30 pm
Combined Topic II
Last Injurious Exposure in Occupational Disease Cases, Emotional and Traumatic Injury Claims
Grand Ballrooms 11 & 12
Convention Level

Handout

Panel:
Michael Murphy, Attorney
Sheehy Ware & Pappas, PC
Houston, TX

Tommy Dulin, Attorney
Dulin & Dulin, Ltd.
Gulfport, MS

Honorable Paul Almanza
Associate Chief Judge
U.S. Department of Labor
Washington, DC

This panel will address the legal standards to determine which employer and/or carrier is responsible for an employee’s injuries where the employee has engaged in continued employment with the same employer over multiple insurance coverage periods or subsequent employment with a different covered employer. It is not always easy to assess whether the employee is suffering from a natural progression of the original injury or if there has been some degree of aggravation which would shift liability to the subsequent employer/carrier.