By Judge Robert Durham, Cookeville In this new world we have to share with COVID-19, many of our traditional ways of doing things have been challenged or even eliminated. One of those is in-person settlement approvals, which simply aren’t feasible while social-distancing. However, the Court’s duty remains to see that injured workers understand what their … Continue reading Phoning it in
Tag: Settlements
ALERT!
Due to the Nashville bombing of AT&T technical equipment location, normal telephone service for settlement approvals has been interrupted. PLEASE NOTE THE SETTLEMENT CALL-IN NUMBERS FOR THIS WEEK ONLY FOR THE NASHVILE JUDGES: Judge Josh Baker – 423-634-0163 Chief Judge Kenneth Switzer – 855-543-5041 All attorneys with approvals this week must contact the injured workers … Continue reading ALERT!
Telephone Settlements will Continue Through March 2021
We'll continue the revised procedure for everyone's safety and reevaluate around St. Paddy's Day.
Jackson Office Expands Settlement Approval Days
It's that time again: time for holiday cheer and settling cases before the New Year. To better serve you and your clients during this busy season, Judges Luttrell and Phillips of the Jackson office are expanding their settlement approval hearing days to any weekday in the month of December. To request a December approval hearing, … Continue reading Jackson Office Expands Settlement Approval Days
Telephone Approvals to remain for the rest of the year
It's been over six months now since we've made the change to allow for all settlement approval hearings to occur by phone, for everyone's health and safety. Looking ahead, at least for the next two months, the altered procedure will remain in place. We'll revisit this for 2021 in mid-December. Please be careful. Percy Warner … Continue reading Telephone Approvals to remain for the rest of the year
Phone settlement approvals will continue through October
Thanks for your continuing cooperation with our revised settlement procedures due to the pandemic. Photo by Kim Weaver, Legal Assistant and devoted gardener, Knoxville.
No settlement approvals statewide on July 3, 16 and 17
We'll be closed on Friday for the July Fourth holiday. The Court holds its semi-annual Judicial Meeting on July 16 and 17, and no one will be available to approve settlements. We wish you a safe and happy holiday.
Telephonic settlement approvals to continue through July
While states and cities commence reopening at various paces, we have determined that we will continue conducting settlement approvals by telephone through July. By most accounts, the new, temporary process is working well and keeping everyone safe at the same time. We will reevaluate this decision in the coming weeks and let you know what … Continue reading Telephonic settlement approvals to continue through July
The Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims and Settlement Approvals–Optimistic but Cautious
By Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer, Nashville We are now completing our fifth week of all telephonic settlement approvals. As a previous post stated, the hearings are going very well. The Governor has now relaxed the stay-at-home directive. Attempts are being made to restart businesses and return to “normal” while keeping some common-sense restrictions in … Continue reading The Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims and Settlement Approvals–Optimistic but Cautious
Updates from the Trial Court and Appeals Board
By Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer, Nashville “Workers’ compensation is a very important field of the law, if not the most important. It touches more lives than any other field of the law. It involves the payments of huge sums of money. The welfare of human beings, the success of businesses, and the pocketbooks of … Continue reading Updates from the Trial Court and Appeals Board
Staying the Course
By Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer, Nashville We’re working remotely but still doing our best to provide top-notch customer service in line with the mission statement of the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims. Just yesterday, Governor Lee announced that state employees who are currently working from home should continue doing so through April 24. So … Continue reading Staying the Course
Calling for your settlement approval or other hearing
As we prepare for the beginning of telephonic settlement approval hearings next week, we’d like to remind you of the telephone numbers our judges and staff use for conference calls, listed below. Location JUDGES Toll-Free Local CHATTANOOGA Audrey Headrick 855-383-0001 423-634-0164 CHATTANOOGA Thomas Wyatt 855-747-1721 615-741-3061 MEMPHIS Rhoberta Orsland 855-543-5045 901-543-2669 MEMPHIS Deana Seymour 866-943-0014 … Continue reading Calling for your settlement approval or other hearing
Settlement approvals on pause in Nashville
By Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer We realize many of you are anxious to get your settlements approved. Unfortunately, we cannot predict when power will be restored to our building. So, here is my suggestion: cancel your plans to seek approvals (in Davidson County only) for the rest of this week. That way you will … Continue reading Settlement approvals on pause in Nashville
There will be no settlement approvals on…
For Holidays: December 24, 25 and 31, 2019; and January 1 and 20, 2020. For a Judges' meeting: January 9 (Except in Nashville) and January 10 statewide.
If you build it…
The film "Field of Dreams" launched the phrase, "If you build it, they will come." We hope our dream is realized with new settlement approval locations, set to begin in 2020. In a previous post, we announced new locations in Clarksville and Dresden. We asked that anyone who is interested in taking advantage of these … Continue reading If you build it…
To Everything, There is a Season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
By Judge Lisa Lowe. Knoxville Yes, just like the Byrds told us, to everything there is a season. (By the way, they stole that from King Solomon; apparently his copyright had expired.) You might ask, dear readers, “Which season is it now? Is it winter or the holiday season?” No, friends…it’s the season to check … Continue reading To Everything, There is a Season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
Some Friendly Reminders
By Judge Dale Tipps, Murfreesboro I usually get nervous when I receive an email titled “friendly reminder,” because it’s often a euphemism for “final warning.” This post isn’t intended as a warning, final or otherwise. However, I’ve noticed some settlement approval concerns over the past few months. Below are some ways to avoid future “friendly … Continue reading Some Friendly Reminders
Coming soon to a courtroom near you
By Chief Judge Kenneth M. Switzer, Nashville Since the creation of the Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims in 2014, we have held all our settlement approvals and trials in our eight locations around the state. For more information about these locations and their individual procedures, click here. We soon realized that some of these locations are long … Continue reading Coming soon to a courtroom near you
Rocking Out to the CWCC’s Greatest Hits
By Jane Salem, staff attorney, Nashville I’m dating myself here, but as a kid and teenager, I loved listening to LPs and the radio. I have older siblings who taught me what’s “good” music. Some of my early favorites were greatest hits collections by James Taylor, Simon & Garfunkel, Linda Ronstadt and Sly and the … Continue reading Rocking Out to the CWCC’s Greatest Hits
More on the SD-2
By Judge Pamela B. Johnson, Knoxville Recap: In my last blog post discussing the Statistical Data Form, I focused on the importance of the form and explained that the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation uses the data collected to complete its Annual Report to the Legislature. The data is also supplied to national organizations that measure the … Continue reading More on the SD-2
