By Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer, Nashville [Blog administrator's note: We're republishing this from July 2024. Enjoy.] While riding my bike early this morning, for some reason I began to reflect on the 4th of July--probably because it’s tomorrow. State offices will be closed. Don’t forget to omit the holiday in counting timeframes/deadlines under our … Continue reading Happy Fourth of July
Tag: Carpe diem
Congratulations, Judge Addington
Judge Brian K. Addington was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers on Saturday, April 5, at the Union League Club in Chicago. The College honors attorneys who possess the highest professional qualifications, ethical standards, character, integrity, professional expertise, and leadership. Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer said, “Judge Addington’s induction as … Continue reading Congratulations, Judge Addington
Education is Part of Our Mission (And it’s Fun)
By Judge Brian Addington, Gray Before the pandemic, I reached out to several schools and groups to discern their interest in attending a court presentation about workers’ compensation in Tennessee. I received responses from a few schools, home school groups, and the Cub Scouts. Before the pandemic set in, I was able to host a … Continue reading Education is Part of Our Mission (And it’s Fun)
Recruiting the Next Generation of Comp Lawyers (We Hope)
By Jane Salem, staff attorney, Nashville Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer and I had the pleasure of visiting Prof. Lynn Ridgeway Zerht’s employment law class today at Belmont University College of Law. We talked about the system generally and lifecycle of a typical case, and then we prompted a discussion of some recent appellate decisions … Continue reading Recruiting the Next Generation of Comp Lawyers (We Hope)
Happy Fourth of July
By Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer, Nashville While riding my bike early this morning, for some reason I began to reflect on the 4th of July--probably because it’s tomorrow. State offices will be closed. Don’t forget to omit the holiday in counting timeframes/deadlines under our rules. No settlement approvals. But beyond the day off. Beyond … Continue reading Happy Fourth of July
Happy “Tinth” Anniversary to Us
By Judge Brian Addington, Gray It’s our traditional “tin or aluminum” anniversary today. July 1 marks the tenth anniversary of the Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims. The Court was established on July 1, 2014, with eight judges: Josh Baker, Pamela Johnson, Lisa Lowe, Allen Phillips, Kenneth Switzer, Jim Umsted, Tom Wyatt, and myself. The … Continue reading Happy “Tinth” Anniversary to Us
The Sums of Our Experiences?
By Judge Thomas Wyatt, Chattanooga Judge Thomas Wyatt A favorite “chicken or egg” discussion is, are we a product of our experiences, or are our experiences a product of who we are? At the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims, we see all varieties of workers, from office personnel to truck drivers, and from health care … Continue reading The Sums of Our Experiences?
Hug Your Friends this Holiday Season
By Judge Thomas Wyatt, Chattanooga We blinked our eyes, and Christmas came and went. Soon we will ring in 2024. My mind, however, is cast upon thoughts apart from the hustle and bustle of the season. Of course, the true reason for the season is the greatest gift of all. Second only to that is … Continue reading Hug Your Friends this Holiday Season
Songs about Working
By Judge Thomas Wyatt, Chattanooga A while ago, I searched the internet for songs about workers’ compensation. I found a few about work accidents, like Big John, the Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald, and a song professing the universal truth that the worker always loses in the battle between steel and flesh. Recently, I broadened … Continue reading Songs about Working
Honoring All Who Labor
By Judge Allen Phillips, Jackson “Work is not man’s punishment. It is his reward and his strength and his pleasure.” ---George Sand, a/k/a Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin de Francueil, a French novelist, memoirist and journalist. She was one of the most popular writers in Europe in her lifetime, being more renowned than either Victor Hugo … Continue reading Honoring All Who Labor
Meet Judge Shaterra Marion
By Jane Salem, staff attorney, Nashville Sometimes, you just know right away when something’s right. Although Shaterra Reed Marion doesn’t consider herself an impulsive person, occasionally in her past, she has instantly, unexpectedly, and rather dramatically changed course--and it worked out well. For example, about a year ago, attorney Marion saw a post on this … Continue reading Meet Judge Shaterra Marion
The Workers’ Comp Hillbillies
By Judge Brian Addington, Gray While an undergrad at Pikeville College (now University of Pikeville), I was exposed to a popular cultural gathering called “Hillbilly Days.” Occurring in the home county to the McCoys of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, let me just say . . . they know how to party. There’s a parade, food, singing, … Continue reading The Workers’ Comp Hillbillies
Synergy: When Magic Happens
By Judge Audrey Headrick, Chattanooga “Synergy” means “an advantageous pooling together of resources or efforts,” according to Merriam-Webster. Synergy fits perfectly with Administrative Professionals’ Day, which is on April 26. “Administrative professional” is an umbrella term that encompasses many jobs. In fact, our country has recognized and celebrated Administrative Professionals’ Day since 1942. Through the … Continue reading Synergy: When Magic Happens
Coal Miner’s Grandson
By Judge Robert Durham, Cookeville I was recently thinking about how critical workers’ compensation benefits are for some families, particularly those whose primary breadwinner has died in a work accident. And then I realized something that I’d never thought about, even though I’ve dealt in worker’s compensation for thirty years now: my own family was … Continue reading Coal Miner’s Grandson
How Things Have Changed
By Judge Brian Addington, Gray I came to work for the Workers’ Compensation Division is Kingsport in 2008. I was hired as a workers’ compensation specialist 4, mediating cases before they could go to court. As time passed, the workers’ compensation specialist 4 job expanded from handling my own cases and mediations, to signing off … Continue reading How Things Have Changed
We’ll Miss You, Judge Seymour
By Jane Salem, staff attorney, Nashville It just had to feel “right.” So says Judge Deana Seymour about her process when finalizing an order after an evidentiary hearing. After applying the facts to the law and before signing it, she always did a gut check. That doesn’t mean she always got it right; but often, … Continue reading We’ll Miss You, Judge Seymour
Musings on Mentoring
By Jane Salem, staff attorney, Nashville It's May. I get sentimental this time of year at graduations. Some people cry at weddings, but I prefer graduations. I'm just very inspired by young people walking across a stage and celebrating hard work and success. Especially now, when schooling became a whole lot more complicated by a … Continue reading Musings on Mentoring
How About Something Happier?
By Judge Dale Tipps, Murfreesboro A professor in the School of Management at Middle Tennessee State University recently asked me to speak to a couple of her Human Resources classes about workers’ compensation. I put together a presentation on the development of work comp, how it works in Tennessee, and how human resources departments can … Continue reading How About Something Happier?
Workers’ Comp in Song
By Judge Thomas Wyatt, Nashville It’s not surprising that the subject of working has captured the creative impulses of the poet and songwriter. After all, most of humanity spends a good percentage of our waking hours making a living. And despite all the griping about our jobs and watching the clock for the arrival of … Continue reading Workers’ Comp in Song
Finding the Silver Linings
By Judge Audrey Headrick, Chattanooga Cambridge Dictionary defines “silver lining” as “an advantage that comes from a difficult or unpleasant situation.” Since March 2020, it’s not always been easy to see any positives that resulted from the pandemic. The pandemic is still with us, and the end doesn’t seem to be in sight. When reading … Continue reading Finding the Silver Linings
From the Bench 