When Arizona passed the first Workers Compensation Act in 1925, the Industrial Commission of Arizona acted not only as the state agency administering claims, but as a state owned insurance company with the authority to regulate other insurers providing workers comp coverage in Arizona. This presented more than the mere appearance of a conflict of...
Snow and Carpio wishes a warm goodbye to our friend Jorge Solchaga, who has been in charge of Protection of Mexican Citizens in the Exterior for the Mexican Consulate in Phoenix for the last seven years. We attended a small reception in Jorge’s honor tonight at Avanti Restaurant, hosted by consul general Victor Manuel Trevino...
As a follow up on my last post, I, Chad Snow of Arizona’s Work Injury Firm, want to discuss the burden of proof that applicant’s have in their hearings before the Industrial Commission of Arizona. At the end of almost every hearing involving a medical witness at the ICA, the attorney performing the direct exam...
Most Arizona work comp litigation requires expert testimony from a medical expert as part of the injured worker’s burden of proof. Asking questions of the medical expert is part science, part art. The following is a very basic outline that I follow when questioning my own medical expert: Professional qualifications (licensed to practice in Arizona,...
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In law school, there is a famous video called “The Ten Commandments of Cross-Examination”. They are: Be brief. Short questions, plain words. Always ask leading questions. Don’t ask a question to which you do not know the answer. Listen to the witness’ answers. Don’t quarrel with the witness. Don’t allow the witness to repeat his...
Continue reading "Cross Examining the Defense Medical Expert in AZ Workers Comp Hearing"