"Tightening Up a Few Loopholes"

Every year workers's comp laws change.  Many of the new rules are applied at the start of the year but some new laws take affect un July 1st.  Pollan Dobbs, PLLC is active in monitoring new laws and rules as they come through the Legislature and Courts.  We find the new problems and advantages that workers face each year so they don't have to.  Workers' Comp is designed to protect injured workers that ask for help.  Unfortunately, the system can be unforgiving to workers that rely on employers and insurance companies to help them through the process.  Everyday they count on this arrangement to limit the care they pay for when they can't limit what the law requires.  You can have a smoother experience if you get the facts--and professional help--right from the start.

Call the Workers' Comp HOTLINE: 888.931.COMP (2667)

Merry Christmas

We at Pollan Dobbs, PLLC would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a safe holiday weekend.

Happy Hanukkah

We at Pollan Dobbs, PLLC would like to wish you and your family a very happy and safe Hanukkah.

Finding a Job After a Workers' Comp Injury

When you're hurt on the job, the most important thing is getting back on your feet.  Fighting through bills and trying to get well is only part of what a worker goes through.  Getting back to work can be just as hard.  Some people can't go back to their old line of work.  Others worry about if they will be fired when they come back to their old job. The Workers' Comp Group can help you get through this tough time.  Did you know:

• There is a right way & a wrong way to do job searches for people on Workers Comp?
• Doing right job searches can increase your settlement amount.
• Whether you quit your job or are fired can change how much your settlement is worth.
• Negotiations over work can be part of your final settlement. 

These things can make a big difference in how your case, your settlement, and your job situation ends up.  You owe it to yourself to get some free advice on how to handle your claim.  Don't let money go down the drain.  


Call the Workers' Comp HOTLINE: 888.931.COMP (2667) 


and see if we can help you.

My Employer Wants Me to Use My Health Insurance for a Workplace Injury. What do I do?

Filing a Workers' Comp Claim on your private insurance can keep you from getting proper healthcare and destroy your protection under the law.  You can undo the trouble, but you need the facts to know how.  Pollan Dobbs, PLLC can show you the way.

Everyday injured workers are told to use their health insurance to cover the care for their workplace injury.  Every time this happens, they're being exploited by their employer.  This problem has become a small epidemic in many states.  Workers' Comp and standard Health Insurance policies may seem the same, but they aren't.  Employers who urge workers to use their own personal health insurance are committing a form of insurance fraud.

This includes:

• Refusing to do an injury report.
• Refusal to submit a truthful report to the Workers' Comp insurance company.  
• Refusal to give the name or adjuster for the Workers' Comp insurance company.
• Forcing injured workers to use their own private health insurance.

The rules for starting a workers' comp claim are fairly simple, but the situation can get quite complicated when Employers act as if the rules don't apply to them.  This sort of behavior is an attempt to hide your injury so that they can avoid responsibility--pure and simple.  Any attempt to do the things listed above is an attempt to hide benefits from you and make whatever steps you take with your legitimate claim just a bit more difficult.

You should have dignity and respect from your workplace and when you're workers' comp claim is legitimate, we make sure you get it.

If anyone has tried to use any of these insurance tricks with you, call us.  We have the tools to get your claim handled properly with no red tape for you.  We work to protect you and your job as our highest priority.


Call us on the Workers' Comp Hotline at 888.931.COMP (2667)

Are There Penalties for Denying Legitimate Workers’ Comp Claims?

• What happens when your employer denies your workers' comp claim?  
• What happens when workers' comp insurance refuses pay on a claim?
• What happens when my employer refuses to file my workers' comp claim?

Each state has a different set of rules for protecting workers from just these situations.  Some rules pay the worker extra money as a penalty for this illegal behavior.  In some instances, workers' can be allowed to sue their insurance company directly when they willfully deny a legitimate claim.

If you've been hurt on the job but you're not being paid for your time off work, your mileage, or you medical bills, you may be entitled to extra benefits.  You do not have to suffer with insurance companies that refuse to do their job when you try to heal and get back to yours.  Call our office.  We can discuss your claim and work to get you back  on track.

Call The Workers' Comp HOTLINE: 888.931.COMP (2667)

Twitter via out QR Code!

Now you can use this handy QR Code to follow us on Twitter!

What Does My Impairment Rating Mean?

When you get an impairment rating, things can start moving fast with your claim--even when you don't realize it!  Most injured workers will be given an Impairment Rating over the course of their treatment.  This can be the most important event in a Workers’ Comp claim.  Depending on the facts of your case, an impairment rating can:

• Stop payment of your workers’s comp checks.
• End medical treatment permanently.
• Start a process that can end your ability to get a settlement.
• Give you an opportunity for a lifetime of free medical care related to your injury.

When you are given an impairment rating, you have a lot of options available to you.  However, these options aren’t available forever and many will not be given to you if you don’t know what to ask for.  Don’t let your options slip away permanently.


 At Pollan Dobbs, PLLC we can help walk you through the process.  


Call the Workers’ Comp HOTLINE at: 888.931.COMP (2667)

What Should I do When I'm Hurt on the Job?

So you've been hurt on the job.  What do you do?  Here are some easy steps to follow:

1. Tell your employer immediately.  
2. Ask your supervisor to complete an accident report.
3. Seek medical care.  Going sooner rather than later can keep small problems from getting bigger!
4. Avoid "the company doctor".  SPECIAL NOTE:  Some employers are known to have a 'company doctor'.  These doctors get their nickname because they tend to work for the company's benefit--not yours.  Avoid these doctors.  Your employer cannot lawfully force you to attend their choice of doctor.  If they try, call us immediately.
5. Use your normal Family Doctor unless you need emergency room care.
6. Always inform your doctor that you have a workplace injury.
7. Never leave the doctor without your work-status in writing.  This is a doctor's note taking you off work and/or a list of your restrictions.  
8. Contact your employer as soon as possible with your work status report.  SPECIAL NOTE:  This is YOUR responsibility under the law! You must inform your employer if the doctor has taken you off work duty or allow them to accommodate your light duty requirements.
9. Avoid working beyond your doctor's restrictions at home or on the job.
10. Watch for your first "comp check" or "temporary total disability" (TTD).  It should arrive after your first 14 days off work.  If it hasn't, something is going wrong.

LAST:  Call Us! 

These are just the basics and each case is different.  Whether you feel you're being treated well or you're concerned about your claim, we can offer you some reassurance that your claim will be handled properly.  Consultations are free and there are never any out-of-pocket fees when you need representation.

Call today at 888.931.COMP (2667) ! 

Is Your Workers' Comp Check LATE? Not Getting it at All?

You've always been asked to play by the rules and you're due the same respect.

The law requires injured workers to be paid when they can't work because of an on-the-job injury.  This isn't sick leave, it's not personal time, and this isn't vacation pay--it's comp pay.  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

If you've been taken off work due to your injury but haven't received a "comp check", then contact us immediately.  Your insurance company may be in violation of state law and subject to serious penalties.

You don't have to be bullied and you don't have to wait for other people to finally follow the rules.  Pollan Dobbs, PLLC can help get your benefits to you on time.  Give us a call today and get peace of mind:

888.931.COMP (2667)

Happy Thanksgiving

We at Pollan Dobbs, PLLC would like to wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving and a safe holiday weekend.  Our offices will be closed November 24-25th in observance of the national holiday.








If you need immediate service outside of normal hours, you can reach us via...


The HOTLINE:888.931.COMP (2667) -or- On the Web! 

Injured But Not Near Jackson, MS or New Orleans? NO PROBLEM!

Injured workers in Louisiana and Mississippi don't have to live in a big city to get full service on their Workers' Comp claims.  Pollan Dobbs, PLLC represents workers from each region of Louisiana and Mississippi everyday.  Our offices cut the red tape so you can spend your time getting healthy--not in a lawyer's office getting paperwork.  

From at home delivery of prescriptions to getting you the best in healthcare, we make you the priority--even if you live out of state!  Our firm protects injured Louisiana and Mississippi workers living coast to coast.  Whether you're an out of state trucker hauling for a Louisiana/Mississippi company or someone simply living elsewhere, our offices can provide you with the best help on every aspect of your claim.  

First Class Service no matter where you live--That's Pollan Dobbs, PLLC.  Call us today:

888.931.COMP (2667)

The Shame of Missouri Shows a Bigger Trend.

The entire nation was touched by the tragedy in Joplin, MO when a tornado tore through the city and upended the lives of thousands.  Few knew that Workers' Comp insurance carriers would stand in the way of recovery. 

JOPLIN, Mo. • By all accounts, Mark Lindquist is a hero, a social worker who nearly gave his life trying to save three developmentally disabled adults from the Joplin tornado. Both houses of the Missouri Legislature honored Lindquist, the Senate resolution calling him "a true hero and inspiration to others."
But heroism doesn't pay the bills. The tornado's 200 mph wind tossed Lindquist nearly a block, broke every rib, obliterated a shoulder, knocked out most of his teeth and put him in a coma for about two months.

Lindquist's medical expenses exceed $2.5 million, and the bills keep coming. He requires 11 daily prescriptions and will need more surgery.

But he has no medical insurance. Lindquist, 51, couldn't afford it on a job paying barely above minimum wage. He assumed workers' compensation would cover his bills, but his claim was denied "based on the fact that there was no greater risk than the general public at the time you were involved in the Joplin tornado," according to a letter to Lindquist from Accident Fund Insurance Company of America, his company's workers' comp provider.

The key here?  Mr. Lindquist was at work.  Mr. Lindquist was following the training that his employer gave him for situations just like this.  Mr. Lindquist was a hero helping the disabled and sacrificed his body in doing so.  


Now the Workers' Comp insurance carriers don't want to pay for his on the job injuries.


This is part of a national movement to protect Insurance Companies who don't want to do their jobs.  You and I would call that fraud but they call it good business.  They want to change the law to look at what sort of risk he was under instead of following the normal considerations:  


Did the injury occur within the course and scope of your employment?  end of story.


Now the insurance companies want to re-write the rulebook state by state and have the final say who can be defined as 'hurt on the job' no matter what logic or reasonableness might dictate.  You can expect to see more of this sort of thing in state legislatures nationwide. 

Have You Left the State After Your Injury?

Don't Leave Protection Behind!

After a workplace injury life goes on.  Workers often find themselves moving or living outside the state where their claim started.  The rules don't change just because you don't live in state.  The problems occur when companies try to take advantage of an out of state worker.  You can become an easy target for trouble, but it doesn't have to be that way.

We handle local claims for workers that find themselves living all over the United States.  Let us protect your rights and interests when you get hurt on the job.


See if we can help you!
Call 888.931.COMP (2667)

1 in 5 LA Businesses Breaking Workers' Comp law.

The Louisiana's Workforce Commission has issued a report finding 1 in 5 LA businesses are likely in violation of Louisiana law.  Critics are quick to complain that following the rules is hard.  At Pollan Dobbs, PLLC we don't find anything hard about playing by the rules.  If you're a Louisiana employer, you can't skip out on obligations because by being too lazy about getting the facts.  Non-compliance can mean fines, a shut-down of business, and even jail time.

At Pollan Dobbs, PLLC, we're serious about handling legitimate Workers' Comp claims for workers and we're serious about making sure employers follow the law.  If you are concerned your employer hasn't handled your claim properly, see us online or call our HOTLINE at 888.931.COMP (2667).

Hurt on the Job? Don’t Let them Threaten to Fire You!

There are consequences for employers who fire their injured workers.

Every day thousands of workers fear reporting a their injuries because they don’t want to be fired.  The law is here to protect you, but only if you know know how to get help.  

Don’t be pushed into hiding your injury or accepting partial care.  State law requires full care and benefits for nearly every injured worker.  Don’t wait until problems start before you get assistance.

Call us and we can help you through every step of the process.


Pollan Dobbs, PLLC
888.931.COMP (2667)

Your Workers's Comp Questions Answered--Even After Hours!

If you need help after hours or on weekends, Pollan Dobbs, PLLC can help.  Just go to our Online Questionnaire and send your questions our way.  Our professionals will get you the answers you need as soon as possible.

A Toll Free Number for Wherever You Live

Call Toll Free:  888.931.COMP (2667)

No matter where you are, you can reach us through our toll free number.  We now have one number for Workers' Comp claims in either Louisiana or Mississippi.  You can always stop by our New Orleans. LA or Jackson, MS offices, but the telephone is still the fastest way to get the help you need.  Call Pollan Dobbs, PLLC today!

Alcohol on the Job?

The law is VERY specific when it comes to workplace injuries and Drug/Alcohol use.  Employers are notorious for threatening or denying claims because of drug tests or alcohol accusations.  Threats and accusations aren't the legal rules.  EACH STATE has a different set of rules.  Call Pollan Dobbs, PLLC and get the answers for your individual situation.

Call Toll Free: 


888.931.COMP (2667)

We Agree!

We Agree completely.  When you get hurt on the job it costs nothing to get help but can cost you everything if you wait to call.  With no out of pocket expenses, why wait?

Call Toll Free 888.931.COMP (2667)

Choose Your Own Doctor.

While your employer may send you to their doctor, you may also see the doctor of your choice.  NEVER sign any paper listing your choice of doctor by name.  If anyone asks you to sign a sheet like this, call an attorney immediately!  While you may choose your own doctor, you may do so only ONCE.  It is very important that injured workers get the best possible medical treatment by Doctors who are only focused on helping inured workers to get better and back to work.  The choice of a Doctor is one of the most personal and vital aspects of a workers' comp claim.  From the initial general practitioner to all types of specialist, if someone is hurt on the job the most important concern is top notch medical care.  The attorneys and staff at The Workers' Comp Group can help injured workers get to the best physicians no matter where they live.

Pollan Dobbs Goes to the State Fair

Everyone loves the state fair and our firm is no exception...especially when you can sneak off for lunch!

Cap'n Comp

Big News!!

The Workers' Comp Group and Dobbs & Dutro have Merged! Now Pollan & Dobbs, PLLC is available to help you on just about any disability need: Workers' Comp, Social Security Disability, and VA Disability. Our offices are still in New Orleans, LA and Jackson, MS but we are expanding to better serve the needs of the public!

Pollan Dobbs Goes to Boston

The Workers' Comp Group was pleased to make an appearance at the ABA Mid-Winter conference on Workers' Compensation.   One of our attorneys--Jason Pollan--served as a panelist for the discussion on Workers' Comp in the context of disasters such as 9/11, natural disasters, chemical spills, etc.  Mr. Pollan spoke about how to streamline the intake process and make use of the latest technology, such as cloud computing, in order to have law firms prepared for unorthodox needs.  We'd like to thank all those who took part, particularly c0-panelists Gerald Rosenthal of Rosenthal, Levy, & Simon PA and columnist Peter Rousmaniere.

Pollan Dobbs, PLLC is Growing Again!

We're happy to announce that we have added Kelli Alford to The Pollan Dobbs family.  She will be helping our clients on every case from every state.  Call anytime and one of our experts can help you with most any claim.  888.931.COMP (2667).

New 2011 Mileage Reimbursement Rate Set for Mississippi!

The Mississippi Workers' Compensation Commission recently posted the 2011 Mileage Reimbursement rate of $.51 per mile.  This will apply to all mileage incurred by injured workers traveling to and from Doctor visits or medical appointments. The 2011 rate is only slightly higher than the 2010 rate of $.50 per mile.  

The new rate takes effect January 1, 2011.

Don't Start the New Year Suffering Through Injuries!

We can help you get the best care and complete protection under the law.  If you've been hurt on the job, there's no reason to start this new year alone.  We help with every aspect of your claim BEFORE the problems start.  Injured workers should never wait for legal protection.  With no out of pocket fees, you owe it to yourself to get up-front protection from The Workers' Comp Group, PLLC.