Nuts and Bolts of Determining Disability in Workers Compensation Cases

Disability determinations sit at the heart of workers compensation law, yet the distinctions between injury, impairment, and disability trip up practitioners at every stage of a claim. This program provides an overview of the determination of disability, including basic vocabulary and foundational concepts necessary to understand how disability is evaluated, discussed, and contested in workers' compensation cases. The program guides attendees through the framework California practitioners use to assess and challenge disability findings, drawing on key statutes and illustrative case law. Topics include the legal definitions of impairment versus disability, how medical evaluations translate into legal conclusions, and where disputes most commonly arise. Attendees leave with a working command of the disability determination process and the vocabulary to navigate it confidently.