Trends and Issues Affecting Workers’ Compensation Laws Theme of ABA Meeting in San Antonio

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 1, 2012 — Workers’ compensation attorneys, judges and other legal experts will meet March 8-10 at the Westin Riverwalk hotel in San Antonio for the American Bar Association program, “National Trends and Emerging Issues Affecting Workers’ Compensation Laws.” The conference is sponsored by the ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section’s Workers’ Compensation Law Committee and co-sponsored by the ABA’s Section of Labor and Employment Law.

Session topics include:

“Undocumented Workers” — This panel will discuss how Texas employers can “opt out” of traditional workers’ compensation and how that alternative applies to undocumented injured worker claims.
March 8, 3 – 4:10 p.m.

“Veterans Benefits and Federal Workers’ Compensation” — As some U.S. troops return home from Iraq, and others continue to serve in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the world, this panel will look at the challenges and pitfalls of veterans benefits and federal workers’ compensation claims. Panelists include William A. Gunn, general counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
March 8, 4:15 – 5:15 p.m.

“Social Networking: Investigation and Surveillance in the Technology Age” — Can you be fired for what you post on Facebook? How far can an employer go in using technology to investigate and defend workers’ compensation claims? This program will feature a summary of recent case law, and a visual media presentation of the latest on social networking sites and resulting surveillance.
March 9, 9:45 – 10:30 a.m.

Additional topics to be covered include:

• Natural Disasters and Their Aftermath: Picking up the Pieces;
• Medical and Legal Causation;
• Evolution of the Personal Comfort Doctrine;
• Controversial Diagnosis Cases in Occupational Disease;
• Workers’ Compensation Reform; and
• Teaching Workers’ Compensation in the Law Schools.

The online program brochure provides a complete list of meeting programs and speakers.

Compensation practitioners, judges or others interested in attending this program can register here.

There is no charge for media covering this event.  For media credentials and more information please contact Maria Gutierrez at 202-662-1091, Maria.Gutierrez@Americanbar.org.

The ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section unites plaintiff, defense, insurance, and corporate counsel to advance the civil justice system.  TIPS is a national source of expertise in tort, trial and insurance practice and brings lawyers together to share information and speak out on issues of importance.  The section has about 25,000 members and 32 general committees that focus on substantive and procedural matters in areas across the broad spectrum of civil law and practice.  For more information about the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section visit the TIPS website, www.americanbar.org/tips.

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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