Breakfast

Session 1 - It’s Your Fault, Now What? Settling and Litigating Clear Liability Claims

• Speakers:

• Sidney Degan III, Degan, Blanchard & Nash

• Michael Gilmartin, Berkley Program Specialists

• Daniel Karp, Fee, Smith, & Sharp, LLP

• Grace Regan, Hiscox

Seasoned professionals offer advice on achieving the best possible outcomes for clear liability cases and share solutions for helping reduce settlements. With clear liability cases, damages can be kept low or allowed to bloom based on decisions made surrounding employee actions, acceptance of liability subsequent actions, contact with claimants, admission of fault, knowing your venue, retaining pre-litigation counsel, and not being scared to get out in front. 

Session 1 - Crash Course: Increasing Vehicular Collisions in a Post-Pandemic World

• Speakers:

• Tricia Bellich, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP

• Emily Gant, ITR Concession Company

Following COVID-19, motor vehicle collisions have been rising at an exponential rate – both in numbers and in severity – many of them avoidable accidents. Looking at the issue from a variety of vantage points, the panel will provide an analysis of potential causes for this increase, discuss ways to mitigate current risks, and offer programs/ideas to get out in front of these collisions. 

Session 1 - Navigating Downstream Waters: Effective Additional Insured and Contractual Risk Transfer Strategies

• Speakers:

• Cynthia Garcia, Bernards

• Cheryl Kozdrey, Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.

• Patrick O'Connor, The Walsh Group

• Trevor Resurreccion, Lynberg & Watkins

Don't miss this session focused on risk management challenges and solutions related to indemnification and additional insured issues, including best practices for handling defense, coverage, and common contract provisions. This diverse panel of an in-house risk manager, defense counsel, coverage counsel, and a broker claims executive will share both real life examples and case law to convey a broad range of perspectives. Attendees will walk away with actionable ideas for a better approach to resolution of claims, in construction and across other industries.

Session 1 - Proceed with Caution: Evidence Preservation and Spoliation 101

• Speakers:

• Carly Falgout, Bear Mediation

• Niva Harney, Kennedys

• Nicholas Spear, Markel Service, Incorporated

• Cade Williams, Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation

Claim professionals handling premises liability claims are often face with making sticky decisions regarding evidence preservation. In this roundtable, experienced professionals will discuss how to avoid turning a trip and fall into a spoliation claim by exploring the basics of evidence preservation and spoilation, looking specifically at how it all works in the real world where things are not always so open and obvious. 

Session 1 - Strategies in Effectuating Medicare Conditional Payment Lien Outcomes: Proactive Cost-Saving Tools for Settlements

• Speakers:

• Jonathan Gerdes, Frank Crum Insurance

• Joseph Gustavsen, NLC Insurance Companies

• Sarannah McMurtry, First Acceptance Insurance Company, Inc.

• Heather Sanderson, Sanderson Firm PLLC

This presentation addresses all aspects of Medicare conditional payments – not only for traditional Medicare recoveries, but for private Medicare plans (Medicare Advantage Plans & Prescription Drug Plans) as well. The audience will learn about traditional and private Medicare recovery rights, options for disputes and appeals, double-damage recovery, and trending case law regarding Medicare conditional payments.

Session 1 - The Ethics in Claims Handling

• Speakers:

• Brenda Chitty, Illinois Casualty Company

• Michelle Greene, North American Risk Services NARS

• Yvonne Hill-Planter, Skyward Specialty Insurance

• G. Steven Murdock, IFMK Law, Ltd.

In this interactive discussion, we review five pillars of ethics in claims handling and consider why ethics are so important in our industry and how to preserve ethical behavior in your dealings as a claims professional. Attendees will leave with an understanding of the Unfair Claims Practices Act, conflicts of interest, and proper codes of professionalism. 

Break

Session 2 - A New Frontier: Remote Work and Workers Compensation Claims

• Speakers:

• Jennifer Cogbill, Gallagher Bassett Services, Inc.

• Angela Fowler, American Residential Services, LLC

• Amber Grambo, GuideOne Insurance Co.

• Katie Grove, McAngus Goudelock & Courie, LLC (MGC)

• Michael Milstein, Downey & Lenkov LLC

• Mark Phillips, Amerisure Mutual Insurance Company

The post-pandemic rise in the remote workforce raises plenty of related workers compensation issues and new considerations. This roundtable discussion will look at the implications on liability and risk management, especially in handling of workers compensation claims, various aspects of risk management and claims handling for remote injuries, including prevention, investigation, and a case law review. Panelists also will address how the shift to more virtual work settings provides an opportunity to reduce costs and risks and discuss the potential advantages and downsides to a more hybrid work model – both for the employee and the employer. 

Session 2 - Be Smart: Current Trends in Homeowners Liability Coverage

• Speakers:

• Angela Bailey, Ph.D, AFICS

• Todd Leon, Marshall Dennehey

• Clint Woodfin, Spicer Rudstrom, PLLC

Look at the expansion of liability coverage on homeowners policies considering the increasing exposures posed by technological advances and applicable emerging issues affecting personal liability. Explore State and Federal laws where interpretation of policy language has been broadened for exposures posed by drones, ride and house sharing, cyber-bullying, and vicarious liability for unlicensed individuals. 

Session 2 - No Laughing Matter: Civil Money Penalties and Conditional Payment Recoveries in Medicare Workers Comp Claims

• Speakers:

• Rafael Gonzalez, Cattie & Gonzalez

• Gina Jacobs, Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel LLP

• Kathleen Wyeth, AF Group

With hundreds of thousands of dollars per claim potentially on the line, this session will provide the details regarding what Medicare’s civil money penalties (CMP) structural and procedural framework will look like, including details on when Medicare will/will not impose CMPs. Presenters will also share insights into how serious Medicare is about recovering conditional payments, including a statistical analysis and an update on the resolution process.

Session 2 - Top Leadership Tips from Women in Risk Management, Retail, and Workers Comp Litigation

• Speakers:

• Jeannette Johnian, Falls Lake Insurance Company

• Annette LaBarre, Mitsui Sumitomo Marine Management (U.S.A.), Inc. (MSIG)

• Jennifer Morris Jones, Cranfill Sumner LLP

• Caryn Siebert, Gallagher Bassett Services, Inc.

While great strides had been made toward promotion of diversity and inclusion in the work claims industry prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a major economic impact concern coming out of the pandemic is the widening gender disparity in the labor market. Top leaders in their fields will discuss lessons learned regarding leading through transition (and beyond) for successful approaches to claims handling and tips on the technology of change, also vital toward enhancement of professional competence in the workers compensation space and success in the retail industry.

This session does not qualify for CE credit in Georgia or Texas.

Session 2 - When a Tree Falls in the Forest… Does It Have a Claim?

• Speakers:

• Jay Gates CPCU,ARM, AIC , Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

• Lara Pearson, Culver Franchising System, LLC

• Patrick Sodoro, Sodoro Law Group

This roundtable will include a rundown of strategies and procedures for employers to use at the outset of an unwitnessed workers compensation claim, including how to prepare and provide defense counsel with what they need to prevail.

Lunch

Session 3 - Avoiding the Concurrent Proximate Cause Trap

• Speakers:

• Ziad Abdella, Philadelphia Insurance Companies

• Patrick Kenny, Armstrong Teasdale LLP

• Douglas Richmond, Aon

The ability to recognize and properly respond to claims involving concurrent proximate cause doctrine is essential for retail, restaurant, and hospitality claims handling. This session will demystify the doctrine, assist claim handlers in recognizing when it might apply, and provide suggestions to insurers for avoiding the concurrent proximate cause trap.

Session 3 - Balancing the Budget: Managing Case Costs for All Sizes of Litigation

• Speakers:

• Allyson Byrd, Jones Walker, LLP

• Lauren Navarro, Dentons

• Hillary Price, Construction Risk Partners

• Robin Roeder, Sedgwick

Managing litigation costs is important for all sizes of litigation. This discussion will cover how planning your litigation strategy early can keep costs down while still effectively advocating for your client. 

Session 3 - Don’t Go in Blind: Defending Unwitnessed Workers Compensation Cases

• Speakers:

• Kate Claudio, Strategic Comp

• Alicia Hitchcock, Elwood Staffing Services, Inc

• Kirsten Kaiser Kus, Downey & Lenkov LLC

• Ben Kincheloe, Albanese Confectionery Group Inc

When confronted with unwitnessed, red flag, questionable claims, what should you do? This panel of experts will cover the best approach to these tricky claims from all angles, the importance of early, prompt investigation, and take a look at what should be done immediately upon report from the employer, carrier, and defense counsel standpoints. 

Session 3 - In It to Win It: Effectively Dealing with Plaintiff Side Counsel in Employment Law Matters

• Speakers:

• Robert Bernstein, Laner Muchin, Ltd.

• Carrie Graziani, Hanover Insurance

• Pandora Pounds, Berkley Select

• Mary Smigielski, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP

Achieving successful results in employment law matters depends on a variety of factors, one of the most important can be defense counsel’s relationship with opposing counsel, including their ability to thwart or control the tactics of opposing counsel. Led by seasoned defense-side employment attorneys and claim professionals, we’ll explore practical guidance/tips for effectively dealing with opposing counsel in employment law matters, with an eye toward achieving the best possible results for defendants/insured. 

Session 3 - The Defense and Litigation of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Claims

• Speakers:

• Lizzy Adkins, Crawford & Company

• Nate Lindsey, Rasmussen Dickey Moore, LLC

• Steve Tuller, DecisionQuest

• Ken Williams, Segal McCambridge

The discussion will explore initial diagnosis through expert selection, and breaking down the defense and litigation of traumatic brain injury (TBI) claims. The panel will also discuss TBI and how to review the records associated with a claim, review the selection of experts, and recommend best practices in handling those TBI claims.

Break

Session 4 - One Less Workers Compensation Zombie in the Apocalypse

• Speakers:

• Kiersten Cash, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

• Jeff Marshall , Self Employed

• Francis X. Wickersham, Marshall Dennehey

From opioids to benzodiazepines to medical cannabis, workers compensation historically relies too heavily on the long-term prescribing of medication that takes perfectly functioning workers and turns them into...well...zombies. Join industry experts as they explore an alternative solution and the legal strategies that are succeeding in changing the "stoner" culture of workers compensation.

Session 4 - Safely Traversing the Minefield of Permanent Work Restrictions

• Speakers:

• Kevin Deuschle, IFMK Law, Ltd.

• Nikki-Ann Thomson-Parkinson, Priderock Capital Partners

Companies, after providing medical care and temporary disability payments to an injured worker, are too often faced with the additional challenges posed when that person is left with permanent restrictions resulting from their work injury. This roundtable will discuss the obligations of the claims professionals in those situations, including effective strategies to minimize exposure and achieve file closure in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Session 4 - Stay Sharp: Subrogation Should Not Be an Afterthought

• Speakers:

• Curtis DeVries, Fraudsniffr

• Stephen Smith, Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C.

Did you know subrogation is one of the top three ways insurance companies make money? Attendees will come away from this session armed with facts on how subrogation impacts companies and individuals, history on the concept and its evolution, and a better understanding of when subrogation should be considered in claims management. 

Session 4 - Top Ten: A Claims File Wish List

• Speakers:

• Claire Muselman, Self Employed

• Stephanie Neuenfeldt, Employers Mutual Casualty Company

• James M. Poerio, Poerio & Walter, Inc.

• Brian Sumner, German Gallagher & Murtagh PC

Attorneys and claims professionals come together for a roundtable discussion to share their top ten list of the information and documents counsel is looking for to help best formulate a litigation plan and develop a winning defense for a new claim.

Cocktail Reception