Workers Compensation and other links

Get Involved

• Voters Injured at Work.
  An organization just for injured workers and their families
  http://viaw.org/

• Register to Vote
  You can register online. Make sure all your friends are registered to vote. Stay informed. Keep them informed.
  http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

• Find your Legislators
  Enter your zip code and find your California State Assemblyperson and State Senator
  Then let them know what that you vote and you don’t like the way injured workers are being treated by the new laws.
  http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

• Project Vote Smart
  National organization that collects information on U.S. elected officials
  http://www.votesmart.org/

• Initiatives
  Secretary of States office has copies of all initiatives that have been submitted for approval
  http://ag.ca.gov/initiatives/activeindex.php

• Paperless Workers Compensation Court- EAMS
  The DWC will go paperless in 2008, FAQ’s about the new system
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/eams/EAMS.htm

Workers’ Compensation

• Information Guides
  Informational pamphlets regarding Utilization Review, Temporary Disability, Uninsured Employers and other topics, created by the DWC.
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/iwguides.html
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/CHSWC/Reports/WorkersCompGuidebook-3rdEd.pdf

• Division of Workers Compensation
  Lots of information from the State of California about California Workers’ Compensation basics and a list of approved Medical Provider Networks (MPN)
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/

• Workers Compensation Appeals Board
  Forms on line, the WCAB Policy and Procedures Manual, the California Labor Code, Title 8 Regulations and important decisions of the WCAB.
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/wcab/wcab.htm

• Claim Form (DWC-1)
  Notice to your employer that you are injured. Everything starts with this.
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/DWCForm1.pdf 

• Commission on Health Safety and Workers Compensation
  Studies and reports on worker safety. Workers compensation educational materials, including Guidebooks and Fact Sheets for injured workers.
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/chswc/chswc.html
  
  DWC Medical Unit
  Includes a Qualified Medical Examiner database and "Evaluation Guidelines."
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/medicalunit/imchp.html

• QME complaint form
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/DWC_FilingAComplaint.htm

• To see list of QME’s within your area, by specialty
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/databases/dwc/qmestartnew.asp

• California Self-Insurance Plans
  List of qualified Self-Insured employer, Joint Powers Authorities and Third Party Administrators
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/SIP/sip.html

• DWC Educational Conference
  Information about Medicare Set-asides
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/educonf12/CMS/CMS.html

• Medi-Care Liens
  Medicare has a right to a lien for money they pay in Workers’ Comp and Personal Injury cases. Here is their brochure about their lien rights.
  http://www.dhs.ca.gov/mcs/psd/TPL/PDFs/PI%20%20Brochure.pdf
  https://www.cms.gov/WorkersCompAgencyServices/

• MediCare Set Asides and prescription drugs
  After 1-1-06 drugs must be considered in set-asides
  https://www.cms.gov/WorkersCompAgencyServices/Downloads/123005PartDMemo.pdf

• Form to request QME panel
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/IMC/FormIMC106.pdf

• **QME complaint form
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/IMC/IMC%20Complaint%20form-1.pdf

• To see list of QME’s within your area, by specialty
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/databases/imc/imcstartnew.asp

• Research information
  Med-Legal Copy Service free research area
  http://getmedlegal.com/

• Veterans Administration
  Medical Record Authorization
  Here is the form you need to sign to get your VA records
  http://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-5345-fill.pdf

Disability

• Social Security Disability
  Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Homepage. Check your eligibility. Learn what is available
  http://www.ssa.gov/disability/

• How does workers compensation affect Social Security Disability?
  http://tinyurl.com/6w84y

• Social Security
  Death Benefits, Retirement Benefits and Disability
  http://www.socialsecurity.gov/

Workplace Safety And Occupational Health

• California Dept. of Industrial Relations
  Includes all required work-place postings and notices
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/

• Dept. of Occupational Safety and Health
  How to file an occupational health and safety complaint
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/workerspage.htm

• Federal O.S.H.A.
  The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This is the links to safety and health topics page. The whole site is available from here also.
  http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/index.html

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  This site has information about chemical hazards in the workplace and other workplace safety information
  http://www.cdc.gov/workplace/

• JobTracker
  AFL-CIO data base of companies that have safety violations, export jobs, etc
  http://www.workingamerica.org/jobtracker/  

Discrimination

• Labor Standards Enforcement
  Locations of offices and on-line forms for filing discrimination and wage claims such as unpaid overtime.
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/DLSE/dlse.html

• Americans with Disabilities Act
  Department of Justice information about the ADA.
  http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/

Insurance

• Bankrupt Carriers
  A listing of all carriers which are in receivership
  http://www.caclo.org/perl/insolvent.pl

• Bureau of Field Enforcement
  How to file a claim with the B.E.F. for failure to carry Workers Comp insurance and for other violations applicable to a all or a group of employees.
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/howtofilebofeclaim.htm

• California Dept. of Insurance
  Includes a comparison guide to workers compensation insurance rates. Also, has "Insurance Guides" for auto and home-owners insurance, but not for workers compensation.
  http://www.insurance.ca.gov/

• Zenith
  Find a medical provider in the Zenith network
  http://www.thezenith.com/claimcenter/wc/employers/findprovider/page43660.html

• Harbor Specialty Insurance
  This carrier uses the Blue Shield Online MPN directory
  http://www.anthemwc.com/

• S.C.I.F.
  State Compensation Insurance Fund is the largest workers compensation insurer in California. This site helps you find medical providers approved under their plans.
  http://www.statefundca.com/provider/Index.asp

• MPN Regulations
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/dwcpropregs/MPNReg.htm

• Concentra
  MPN for Sedgwick and others
  http://www.concentra.com/

• California Workers Compensation Institute
  Organization of Insurers
  http://www.cwci.org/

• MPN for A.I.G.
  http://www.talispoint.com/aig/com/

Doctors And Lawyers

• C.A.A.A.
  The California Applicants Attorneys Association, has information and an attorney locator for your area of California.
  http://caaa.org/

• CSIMS
  California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery
  http://www.csims.net/default.asp

• WILG
  The Work Injury Law and Advocay Group, a nationwide organization. Find a workers compensation attorney in any state.
  http://www.wilg.org/

• California State Bar
  Find a licensed attorney, find out if an attorney has been disciplined, read the Rules of Professional Conduct
  http://www.calbar.ca.gov/

• Find a Certified Specialist in California
  http://calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar_extend.jsp?cid=11584&id=9185
  
  California Medical Board
  Includes license search for Medical Doctors "Check your doctor on-line" and "Guidelines for prescribing controlled substances for pain."
  http://www.mbc.ca.gov/

• California Chiropractic Board
  License search for chiropractors
  http://www.chiro.ca.gov/onlineservices_licsearch.htm

• Medical Unit
  Find a Qualified Medical Examiner
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/databases/imc/imcstartnew.asp

• California Board of Psychology
  License search for psychologist
  http://www.psychboard.ca.gov/

Vocational Rehabilitation

• CARRP California Association of Rehabilitation & Reemployment Professionals
  http://www.carrp.org/

Other Licensees

• Consumer Affairs Dept. License look-up
  Includes contractors, physical therapists, barbers, everyone who has to have a license from the state.
  http://www2.dca.ca.gov/pls/wllpub/wllquery$.startup

Corporations

• California Business Search
  Search for a information on corporations, LPs and LLS, Agent for Service of Process
  http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/list.html

California Legislation And Courts

• Legislative Information
  Information about California Assembly and Senate bills, California Laws and Legislative Publications. Read the laws the legislature is voting on.
  http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/

• California Court Opinions
  Supreme and Appellate Court opinions published within the last 120 days, even unpublished opinions for a limited time only.
  http://www.courts.ca.gov/opinions.htm

• WCAB Opinions
  En Banc and Significant Panel Decisions of the WCAB
  http://www.dir.ca.gov/wcab/wcab_dars.htm

• Small Claims Court
  Help in preparing for and filing a Small Claims Action (<$5,000.00). No attorney needed.
  http://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-smallclaims.htm

• Los Angeles Superior Court
  On line directory and information
  http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/

• Court Rules
  Rules of Court for Los Angeles County Superior Court
  http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/courtrules/

• California Code of Regulations
  Official site with the entire CCR
  http://www.calregs.com/

Education/ Medical/Legal

• Dictionary
  Includes links to foreign language dictionaries
  http://www.bartleby.com/107/

• Writing Style Guide
  William Strunk's Elements of Style
  http://www.bartleby.com/141/index.html

• Translations
  Translate whole paragraphs from many languages to many languages
  http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt
  
  California Workers Compensation Institute
  Organization of Insurers
  http://www.cwci.org/

• National Library of Medicine
  Includes Medline and Medline Plus
  http://locatorplus.gov/

• Workcomp Central
  This one requires a paid registration, but it is full of up to date news
  http://ww3.workcompcentral.com/

• Nolo Press
  Lots of do-it-yourself legal books on workers compensation, work-placed rights, sexual harassment,etc. They also have books on personal injury, wills and all aspects of law.
  http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/employee-rights

• Work Rights Press
  The Legal Rights of Union Stewards, Family Medical Leave Handbook
  http://www.workrightspress.com/index.html

• University of West Los Angeles
  The ultimate in do-it-yourself law. Become a lawyer or paralegal at my alma mater.
  http://www.uwla.edu/

• ACOEM
  They wrote the book that is California law about the recommended treatment of occupational injuries and illnesses
  http://www.acoem.org/

• National Guideline Clearinghouse
  A public resource for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.
  http://www.guideline.gov/index.aspx

• Cochrane Collaboration
  An international, non-profit organization. The library has regularly updated evidence-based healthcare databases. Not particularly easy to use.
  http://www.cochrane.org/index.htm

• Worst Pills
  Independent prescription drug information from Public Citizen . Not friendly to the drug industry. Read the ten rules for safer drug use. Print out their drug worksheet to keep track of your medication
  http://www.worstpills.org/

• Consumer Reports
  Report of "Best Buy Drugs"
  http://www.consumerreports.org/health/best-buy-drugs/index.htm
  
  AARP
  Health Guide and Prescription Drug Information
  http://www.aarp.org/health/
  
  PDR Health
  The public site of the publisher of the Physicians Desk Reference. Information from pharmaceutical industry sources about prescription, non-prescription and herbal medicines.
  http://www.pdrhealth.com/drugs

• Online Orthopedic Textbook.
  Nicely indexed orthopedic information
  http://www.wheelessonline.com/

• Anatomy Text Book
  Gray's Anatomy on-line
  http://education.yahoo.com/reference/gray/
  
  Environmental diseases
  The website of Nachman Brautbar, M.D.
  With useful information about various industrially caused diseases
  http://www.environmentaldiseases.com

• Copy Service
  Med-LegalCopy service. Website has lots of extras
  http://www.getrecords.com/default.asp

• Med-Legal Magazine
  Med-legal also has an on-line magazine about workers’ comp issues
  http://www.getmedlegal.com/articles/articles.html

• Copy Service
  Med-LegalCopy service. Website has lots of extras
  http://www.getrecords.com/default.asp

Pain

• The American Pain Society for people in pain
  http://www.ampainsoc.org/

• The American Pain Foundation
  http://www.painfoundation.org/

Traffic

• Traffic reports for major metropolitan areas in California
  http://www.sigalert.com/Map.asp?Region=Greater+Los+Angeles

• CalTrans
  Highway conditions and warnings for State Highways
  http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

• L.A. County Dept of Public Works
  Road closures in the County of Los Angeles
  http://ladpw.org/mpm/roadclosure/?CFID=4495300&CFTOKEN=33791527

• L.A. City
  Traffic speeds on major City streets
  http://trafficinfo.lacity.org/

• CHP Freeways and Surface Streets
  Lane closures, hazards and accidents, up to date
  http://cad.chp.ca.gov/default.asp

Public Transit

• Big Blue Bus
  Santa Monica Bus line, (Lincoln Blvd is line 3)
  http://www.bigbluebus.com/home/index.asp

• Los Angeles Metro
  Buses and train lines for MTA
  http://www.metro.net/around/

• Culver City Bus
  The Culver City Bus Line
  http://www.culvercity.org/Government/Transportation/Bus/BusSchedule

News And Fun Stuff

• Zip Code Finder
  USPS Zip Codes
  http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/

• Local Artist: Rich Mann
  Venice photography
  http://rvmann.com/home.html

• Rough and Tumble
  A daily compilation of news about California
  http://www.rtumble.com/

• CorpWatch
  Holding corporations accountable
  http://www.corpwatch.org/

• Democracy Now
  The premier radio, television and web-based news hour from the Left. Free from corporate dominance.
  http://www.democracynow.org/

• NPR
  National Public Radio’s home page
  http://www.npr.org/

• Pacifica Radio
  Independent listener supported radio
  http://www.pacifica.org/

• Political Cartoons
  Today’s best cartoon from various cartoonists
  http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/

• Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
  "We uniquely empower Iraq & Afghanistan combat veterans to use their credibility and experiences to speak truth to power, shape public opinion, and place a priority on these issues."
  http://iava.org/

• Movie information
  Data about actors, producers, movies and their cast
  http://www.imdb.com

• Phone numbers
  Area code locater and phone numbers for business or individual by AT&T
  http://www.anywho.com/whitepages