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
Tag: Settlements
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
Summer’s here!
There will be no settlement approvals statewide on the following dates: June 12-14: The Bureau's Educational Conference; July 4: Independence Day; July 18-19: Judicial Meeting; and, September 2: Labor Day. The Nashville office only will conduct settlement approvals on June 12. Be safe, and enjoy the warm weather.
Jackson Approvals Update
By Judge Amber Luttrell, Jackson Exciting news! We’re shaking it up (somewhat) in Jackson to better serve you. After informal polling of attorneys who routinely appear for settlement approvals in Jackson, we’ve decided to switch our Tuesday approval day to Mondays. Friday approvals will continue as usual. We realized that Tuesdays are very busy days … Continue reading Jackson Approvals Update
Settlement approvals to be held in Morristown
By Judge Brian Addington, Gray We’ve finally settled into the new office in Gray. It’s been a pleasure to work in a new space for mediations, approvals and hearings for our Northeast Tennessee counties. As part of our long history of service to the public, we formerly offered settlement approvals in various cities throughout Northeast … Continue reading Settlement approvals to be held in Morristown
Submitted for your Approval
By Judge Dale Tipps, Murfreesboro During the sixties (that’s the 1960s--yes, I was alive then), Rod Serling hosted the T.V show “The Twlight Zone.” The show revolved around strange plots with an ironic twist and a life-lesson conclusion. After telling us at the beginning that the main character had just entered the Twilight Zone, Rod … Continue reading Submitted for your Approval
Thinking about the Fourth Factor
By Judge Robert Durham, Cookeville When conducting settlements, we’re sometimes called upon to consider the four factors that might impact the disability benefits employees may receive if they’re not back to a pre-injury wage. To be honest, it is a cut-and-dried affair in most cases. The biggest question is usually whether or not employees lost … Continue reading Thinking about the Fourth Factor
Precious Memories and a Bright Future
By Judge Brian Addington, Gray (formerly of Kingsport) It was a new experience when I walked in the door at 1908 Bowater Drive in Kingsport, Tennessee in late 2004 for the first time. What used to be a Greyhound bus station, unemployment office, car parts store and church now served as the Bureau’s Northeast Tennessee … Continue reading Precious Memories and a Bright Future
The Next Maury County Day is…
The next day for settlement approvals in Maury County is March 28. If you have a claimant from the southern counties who prefers going to Columbia rather than the Murfreesboro office, contact Patsy Bumbalough or call 615-848-6743.
The Next Maury County Day is…
The next day for settlement approvals in Maury County is February 20. If you have a claimant from the southern counties who prefers going to Columbia rather than the Murfreesboro office, contact Patsy Bumbalough or call 615-848-6743.
From the Bench 