Magistrate opinion search tool gets much needed makeover and how you can research important workers’ compensation issues.
The Agency recently announced an update to its document management system with several user-friendly improvements. Magistrate opinions mailed after January 1, 2006 can now be searched and viewed online.
Users can search by plaintiff or defendant. This is very helpful when investigating whether a party has been involved in prior litigation. Some employers and insurance companies are notorious for pushing cases to trial even when the facts are not on their side.
The update also permits a keyword search and can be filtered by magistrate. Understanding how a magistrate views a legal issue can be critical to prevailing at trial or negotiating a fair settlement.
Magistrates must decide the facts and law for each case. Their backgrounds will shape how they view witness testimony and medical evidence. Some have represented insurance companies for years while others have focused strictly on employees. These past experiences can make a difference in a close case.
Anyone with a pending workers’ compensation case should be looking up their magistrate and seeing how they decide specific legal issues. What is considered a good-faith job search? Do certain medical experts lack credibility? What hurdles will a claimant with a preexisting medical condition be forced to jump over? How likely is a continuing award of wage loss benefits?
We are pleased to see the Agency update its document management system. This is not just a good research tool but also improves transparency.
Michigan Workers Comp Lawyers never charges a fee to evaluate a potential case. Our law firm has represented injured and disabled workers exclusively for more than 35 years. Call (855) 221-2667 for a free consultation today.
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