Comp Corner

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by Ratings Specialists David Roman and Alexandra Sadek of Bradford & Barthel’s AMA Guides Analysis & Rating Department. The conversation naturally starts by exploring where Alex and David start when working on a rating (2:41). They discuss the most common errors in reports and which injuries are given incorrect impairment by doctors (7:25). To be fair, they then discus...

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by Partner and Managing Attorney of Bradford & Barthel’s San Jose Office, JP Torres, to discuss settlements. They start with the easiest option, settling without medical reports or minimal medicals (2:00). Next, they tackle settlements based on a primary treating physician (PTP) report, including PR-2 and PR-4 (8:30). They follow with settlements based on medical legal...

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by Amir F. Adil, Equity Partner, big brother, and Managing Partner of Business Research, Development and Sustainability at Bradford & Barthel. The conversation begins around the underlying issues of the ADR medical legal QME process, what the hurdles are and where they originate (1:34). They examine the role of the ombudsperson (20:00); document production responsibili...

Host Nasir F. Adil, Equity Partner and Managing Attorney at Bradford & Barthel, is joined by Patrick Gorman, a distinguished Applicant’s Attorney based in Northern California. Patrick starts by discussing the hardest and easiest parts of being an AA, what he enjoys the most about his job, and how his experience as a defense attorney shapes his current perspective as an AA (2:02). They shift focus...

In this bonus pod, host Nasir F. Adil, Equity Partner and Managing Attorney at Bradford & Barthel, recaps the 2025 Comp Corner mailbag. Whether a seasoned attorney or new to CA comp, you are sure to find questions – and answers – that are instructive and topical. Nasir covers EDD state disability reimbursement, med-legal evaluations involving pro per applicants, due diligence when performing disco...

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by Sherri Dozier, Director of Client Development and Relations at Bradford & Barthel, to discuss all things DWC audits. They begin by covering mock audits/PAR audits, what they entail, and the five categories that auditors go through (5:30). Sherri then delves deeper into wage statement calculations and earning capacity (16:15). As always, we take a break for the Comp...

In this emergency pod covering the recent California appellate court decision in Rodriguez, host Nasir F. Adil is joined by Louis Larres, Director of Bradford & Barthel’s Appellate Division, who argued the case for the defense at the 2nd District Court of Appeal, and John Kamin, Director of B&B’s Editorial Board, who argued the case at the trial level. They discuss the main takeaways from this pub...

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by Michael Peabody, Partner, and Director of Bradford & Barthel’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Services. We begin by exploring Michael’s background in non-profit lobbying in Sacramento and his involvement with recent US Supreme Court case, Groff v. DeJoy (2:17). We then delve into a deep discussion of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), including advantages of the...

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by Fariba Jafary, Equity Partner, Chief Diversity Officer, and Managing Partner of Recruitment, Hiring & Development. We start with a great story about how Fariba unexpectedly joined B&B (2:21). She then talks about her role in the firm’s growth in recent years and what one skill is critical for managers (7:05). Nasir and Fariba engage in a deeper conversation about re...

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by John Kamin, Partner, and Director of Bradford & Barthel’s Editorial Board. They begin by examining John’s early career in journalism, including in politics and at WorkCompCentral, and how those skills translate into his role today as a workers’ compensation defense attorney (2:28). We then delve into the B&B Editorial Board as John provides an extensive recap of rec...

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by Bradford & Barthel Partners, Manjit Batth & Kimberly Wagner. They begin by discussing distinctions in workers’ compensation from a defense perspective in Northern California, the Central Valley, and Southern California: nuisance value settlements, cases settling at deposition, Stipulations with Request for Award, and asbestos cases (1:53). Next, they dive into the b...

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by Bradford & Barthel alum Scott Rountree, Litigation Manager at ICW Group Insurance Companies. They delve into Scott’s triple threat background along with QME fee schedules & panels (2:31). Next is a discussion about emerging trends in Workers’ Compensation, distinctions in legal practice between Northern and Southern California, and work comp misconceptions (17:55)....

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by Managing Attorney of Bradford & Barthel’s San Jose Office, and Partner, JP Torres. They discuss how JP’s background as an applicant attorney lends perspective when working cases (1:23). They then delve into strategies to limit permanent disability at the outset of a claim; and how to stay aggressive post deposition and medical reports (13:02). Nasir takes a break fo...

Host Nasir F. Adil is joined by guests Tom Bradford and Don Barthel, founding partners of Bradford & Barthel, LLP, the leading workers’ compensation defense firm in California. They begin by discussing how Tom & Don met, reminiscing about the origins of the firm, and what they would do differently (3:01). Nasir then tackles the Comp Corner mailbag, a listener question about CCR 35(c) and the excha...

Our host, Nasir Adil, starts by introducing Comp Corner, what to expect from this pod, and changes in workers' compensation, especially since Covid-19. We're then joined by Amir Adil, pod guest and 'Big Bro,' as he recounts childhood stories with Nasir and continues the discussion about the post Covid work comp industry (8:55). We then pause for Comp Corner mailbag to tackle a listener question ab...