I felt the calling to return the blog to my horses. So, for this week, nostalgia wins! My horse trainer and I have spent countless hours since Lattie passed in April pounding the pavement in search of Harry Trotter’s next best friend. I use “best friend” a little tongue-in-cheek because Lattie was never particularly fond of Harry. Harry, for his part, was perfectly willing to be friends. Their relationship was,…
One of the sessions I attended at the WCI Conference in Orlando was a Workers’ Compensation 101 panel featuring Judge Melissa Jones, Stuart Colburn, Mark Pew and Bob Wilson. The session covered a lot of ground, beginning with the history of workers’ compensation and eventually landing on a question that I think is worth asking ourselves today: Have we become so busy working within the system that we sometimes lose…
I have been in workers’ compensation for more than 30 years, and somehow, this year was the first time I attended WCI. I’m still asking myself, what took me so long? Before heading to Orlando, I knew WCI was a big conference. I had heard about the thousands of attendees, the hundreds of educational sessions and the enormous exhibit hall, but I don't think you can really appreciate the magnitude…
After my last two blogs, Adjusters Are People, Too and AI Should Give Me Time, Not More Claims, I felt the need to address this from the carrier’s and third-party administrator’s perspective, too. My experience running the workers’ compensation program for The University of Texas System (UT System), who was defined by law as the insurance carrier for the institutions within the system, taught me the carrier perspective. I understand…
Part 2: What Happens When Technology Gives the Adjuster Time Back? Last week, I introduced you to Sarah. Sarah is completely fictitious, but the workload isn't. Sarah represents the adjusters sitting behind desks all over the country, trying to balance claim inventories, deadlines, medical records, phone calls, emails, metrics and an injured person who needs more than a claim number. At the end of Part 1, we left Sarah with…
National Workers’ Comp Adjuster Day was August 17. Maybe today is a good day to remember that behind every claim is an adjuster who is a person, too. Part 1: The Person Behind the Claim An entirely fictitious story. The workload, however, may feel painfully familiar. My name is Sarah. I’m a workers’ compensation adjuster. Well, at least that’s what my business card says. I was hired because someone told…
Last week, I shared how my own definition of success changed over the course of a career in workers' compensation. Like many claims professionals, I began by measuring success through closed files, favorable outcomes, and cost savings. Over time, I came to realize that behind every claim number is a person with fears, responsibilities, and a life that has been unexpectedly interrupted. I also discussed how the demands of our…
Over the next two weeks, I'd like to share a reflection that has shaped the way I view workers' compensation. In Part 1, I share my own journey from measuring success by closed claims to understanding that every claim represents a human life. Next week, in Part 2, I'll explore what research tells us about recovery and how a Worker Recovery mindset can improve outcomes for everyone involved. "I am…
“Workers' compensation professionals are often measured by compliance, claim outcomes, and operational performance. While those metrics matter, the greatest impact we make is often felt in the lives of the injured workers we serve.” Danielle Thompson, City of Corpus Christi The Workers' Recovery Professional (WRP) certification was created to help industry professionals look beyond the claim and focus on the whole person. Through education, collaboration, and a recovery-centered philosophy, WRP…
When injured employees feel unheard, distrust begins to grow. When they feel supported, recovery has a stronger foundation. Every workers' compensation claim begins with a disruption. One moment, someone is at work doing their job. The next, they are facing pain, uncertainty, and questions they never expected to ask. Will I recover? Will I be able to support my family? Will my employer still want me back? How we respond…
