Right To Medical Treatment Under California and Longshore Workers' Comp

Under California and Longshore workers' comp laws, an injured worker has the right to receive medical care that is reasonably required to cure or relieve the effects of injury, at the expense of your employer. This treatment includes all necessary diagnostic, surgical, chiropractic, acupuncture, and other hospital treatment along with any necessary nursing care, medication, crutches, orthotic and prosthetic devices, and other medical services.

Under California law, after an injury, within one working day of filing your claim, even while the claims adjuster reviews your claim to decide whether to accept or deny your claim, you are entitled to immediate initial medical care up to a cost of $10,000.00.

If your claim is then denied, you will need to file for a hearing at the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board for State claims or the OWCP for Longshore claims, in order to fight for further medical treatment.

If your claim is accepted, then you have the right to select a doctor to be your Primary Treating Physician (PTP). Usually, the insurance company will have a network of doctors established, a Medical Provider Network (MPN) from which you must choose your PTP.

If the claims examiner happens to dislike the doctor that you selected, you may be sent to a Qualified Medical Examiner (QME) for a second opinion on behalf of the insurance company, or you may be offered an Agreed Medical Examiner (AME).

An AME is a doctor selected jointly by you and the insurance company. Because this selection requires participation by the injured worker, California law only allows this option if the injured worker is represented by an attorney in order to protect injured workers from getting tricked into selecting an unfavorable AME by unscrupulous insurance adjusters.

Selecting your PTP is one the most important decisions you will make during the course of your claim. Not only do you want to receive the best medical care but also, most of your other benefits will be based on the opinions and reports from your PTP. Your PTP will also determine if and when you can go back to work and in what capacity.

Selecting the correct PTP is only half the battle in getting the necessary medical care, however. Once you have selected your doctor and the doctor recommends an appropriate course of medical treatment for you, under California law, the insurance company then has the right to submit these recommendations for an outside review before they agree to pay for the treatment.

This review process is called "Utilization Review" (UR) and is conducted either by the insurance company itself or by an outside company that is paid by the insurance company. Therefore, it is not uncommon for a UR review to result in a denial of treatment by the insurance company.

Search for other articles by the same author or visit the author's website to find out more about this subject.

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Pick High Paying Keywords in Your Niche and Double Your AdSense Income

I shared this list of Latest Highest Paying Keywords for 2009 earlier and a lot of bloggers and webmasters said that all the keywords mentioned in this list does not belong to their niche (target market), so it is pointless to use this list. I completely agree with you all, that such highest paying keywords are related with some financial / legal / medical niche and you can not utilize this list to your blog or website provided you share the same niche.

In this post, I am going to disclose you how you can choose highest paying keywords which are related with your blog or website. Let me first explain you the importance of selecting highest paying keywords and the amount of difference it can make to your Google AdSense earning.

For example, if you are going to write an article on say "Affiliate Marketing" and you really don't know about the highest paying keywords and you write complete article without incorporating any keywords with high value. In this case Google AdSense web crawler will crawl your page and display ads next to your content but a relatively lower Cost Per Click (CPC) say $3.78.

On the other hand if you do a prior research on highest paying keywords and incorporate the highest paying keywords in your article, for example "Affiliate Marketing Online Program" is a high paying keyword, then Google AdSense will display ads next to your content but this time with comparatively higher Cost Per Click i.e $6.78. You can notice the difference in Cost Per Click (CPC) of $3 straight away which means your income will be doubled as compared to before. In some cases this difference can be huge, so the bottom line is if you do a little research beforehand it will definitely increase your online income big time. It's never too late to do research on High Paying Keywords and it really pays to increase Google AdSense earnings exponentially.

Now the question arises: How to select Highest Paying Keywords specifically for your website's niche?

Well! you don't have to go outside the Google to find out the solution. Google itself provides you a very powerful tool to select highest paying keywords for your niche and you need to follow a very simple trick to learn how to earn more from that keyword tool.

Google Adwords Keyword Tool provides you the solution of selecting the highest paying keywords for your niche blog or website.

It provides to two options to choose from: -

Option 1. Descriptive words or phrases (e.g. green tea) In this option you can simply write few keywords on which you want to perform the keyword research.

Option 2. Website content (e.g. []) In this option you can provide the link of your website on which you want to perform the keyword research. (See the picture1 at the bottom of this post)

Once you have entered the keywords or URL, you can simply click on "Get Keywords Ideas" button to proceed.

As soon as you hit that button it will show a comprehensive list of keywords along with other information like "Advertiser Competition", "Local Search Volume" and "Global Monthly Search Volume" which you can use for your research.

On the right side just below the two options there is another option which says "Choose columns to display". Select "Show Estimated CPC" as soon as you select that option now keywords will be displayed along with average CPC. (See the picture2 at the bottom of this post)

Now click on "Estimated Avg CPC" text to sort it in ascending or descending order.

There you go! You can see the highest paying keywords in your niche. Now you can incorporate these keywords to attract highest paying ads to your blog or website. Like if you want to earn high then let your blog be an all round blog some time you go out of line and may pick a topic from one of the list below research on the topic and write on it may be on student consolidated loan. The web crawler crawls and brings you add worth almost 40 busks then you are on.

Do share your experience of using this trick! Good luck!

I have compiled this list of Highest Paying Keywords for AdSense from various sources.

S/No. Keywords CPC ($)

1. Purchase Structured Settlements 53.48

2. Mesothelioma Lawyers San Diego 51.47

3. Secured Loan Calculator 51.35

4. Structured Settlement Investments 50.45

5. Endowment Selling 50.35

6. Mesothelioma Patients 50.23

7. Mesothelioma attorney san diego 50.07

8. Austin Texas dwi lawyers 50.03

9. New York Mesothelioma Lawyers 50.01

10. Phoenix dui lawyers 50.01

11. Secured Loans 50.01

12. Insurance Auto 50.00

13. Phoenix dui attorney 50.00

14. car free insurance online quote 50.00

15. students debt consolidation loans 49.96

16. Pennsylvania mesothelioma lawyers 49.87

17. data recovery Denver 49.71

18. adverse credit remortgages 49.56

19. bad credit remortgages 49.47

20. data recovery service los angeles 49.37

21. Consolidating Students Loan 49.30

22. Students Loan Consolidation Rates 49.17

23. Boston dui lawyers 49.02

24. memphis car insurance 48.86

25. conference calling companies 48.64

26. dui attornes los angeles 48.60

27. georgia car accident lawyers 48.36

28. san diego dui defense 48.32

29. Phoenix arizona dui lawyers 48.28

30. Los angeles dwi attorneys 48.20

31. Student Consolidation Loans 48.15

32. free quote for car insurance 48.11

33. irs tax lawyers 48.08

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How To Negotiate With A Private Investigator

In a perfect world, you could hire the best possible private investigator without having to worry about the price tag. But unfortunately, you've got to worry - worry about getting taken by someone who's dishonest, greedy, or prone to miscommunication. What's the easiest way to have a successful negotiation with a private investigator?

Getting both parties to agree to terms well in advance is the quickest and cleanest way to save your time and money. So search for information about invoices and billing. Most private investigators work on retainer. This means you'll pay a certain amount of money up front, and they'll go to work, charging their hourly rate along with disbursements like travel that they might come across while working. Once these expenses reach the amount of the retainer, they'll make a written report with their expenses and their findings, giving you the option to increase the retainer or close the case.

Is there a cap on your expenses? All of this stuff should be on a written contract so that there aren't any misunderstandings, and the contract should be written in simple, easy to understand language - if they're hesitant to walk you through the contract, it's a good sign you shouldn't work with them. Also, they should be able to work on a retainer that's refundable if you aren't fully satisfied with the results.

If they work differently, find out what their variation is, and whether it's good for your bottom line.

Find out whether they take credit cards, and if so, whether they bill discreetly or not. If you're in the middle of a divorce, investigator charges showing up on your bills can create some obvious conflicts. And dealing in cash is quick and effective, but it doesn't leave you with anywhere to go if the service isn't satisfactory.

Remember to ask whether they're bonded and insured. Even the best private investigators might have to make a claim on their insurance, but they should be able to provide an explanation if you ask for one.

Don't just pick the cheapest gumshoe in town, either. If you want an investigator that's credible, you'll need to think logically. And who costs more? A guy who charges $30 an hour and doesn't deliver anything in return, or someone who charges three times and much and completes the investigation within a week? When you're looking for an investigator, especially in this economy, you should call around and compare the rates of a handful of investigators so you can find out an average rate.

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Getting a Grasp of Asbestos

Asbestos is a wonder material that has one huge drawback - it is toxic to humans and causes a host of health problems including cancer. In this article, we take a look at the dangers of asbestos and why it was used in a variety of industries.

To get a grasp of asbestos, one has to first understand why anyone would possible use it? The substance is a naturally occurring form of a number of materials. The asbestos form constitutes small crystalline fiber structures that are tiny. These structures have long been viewed as wonder materials because they are extremely fire resistant and can insulate electrical wires without being compromised. If you have a material that doesn't burn, wouldn't you use it in building materials and insulation? The answer was yes in many industries.

So, what is the problem with asbestos? Well, the problem is found in the fact the fibers are so tiny that they can become airborne. When this occurs, people have a tendency to breathe them into the lungs. There, the fibers become embedded. Over time, they penetrate into the lung and pleura fibers in the internal body cavity. They can cause everything from chronic inflammation of the lungs that make breathing hard to lung cancer and Mesothelioma. The really difficult thing to accept is the fact there can be a span of up to 40 years between inhalation of the fibers and the onset of the medical conditions.

The dangers of asbestos slowly came to the forefront through numerous lawsuits in the 1960s and 1970s. The government eventually stepped in and started banning many uses of the materials. In 1989, the EPA banned all new uses of asbestos, but allowed previously established uses to continue. This means that you can find asbestos in products like vermiculite used in your yard as well as brake shoes and clutches on cars. Most people don't realize as much.

Asbestos is both a wonder material and major health risk. There are a host of non-toxic products that can be used instead of asbestos, so avoid it at all costs.

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California Mesothelioma Lawyer & Mesothelioma Attorney Facts

Mesothelioma is a devastating form of cancer, but also rather uncommon. This disease stems from the inhalation or ingestion of asbestos particles. These particles can pierce the lungs, intestines and even heart. Particularly these particles irate the mesothelium, a protective sack that secrets fluids allowing organs to move properly. In addition, the mesothelium can develop cancerous tumors which can essentially spread throughout the body. Most people diagnosed with mesothelioma only live for around five years after the condition develops.

Mesothelioma primarily affects three organs of the body. Affected areas include the lungs, the gastrointestinal tract and the heart. The most common form of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma. The second most common form of mesothelioma is peritoneal mesothelioma which destroys the stomach & intestines. The rarest form of mesothelioma is called pericardial mesothelioma, which attacks the membrane lubricates in the heart during circulation.

There is currently no cure for mesothelioma, but victims of this terrible disease still have many options available for support. In addition to support from family & friends, it is also important to get legal support. Mesothelioma victims have many legal options to explore and it is very important that you contact a qualified mesothelioma lawyer as soon as possible.

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Right To Medical Treatment Under California and Longshore Workers' Comp

Under California and Longshore workers' comp laws, an injured worker has the right to receive medical care that is reasonably required to cure or relieve the effects of injury, at the expense of your employer. This treatment includes all necessary diagnostic, surgical, chiropractic, acupuncture, and other hospital treatment along with any necessary nursing care, medication, crutches, orthotic and prosthetic devices, and other medical services.

Under California law, after an injury, within one working day of filing your claim, even while the claims adjuster reviews your claim to decide whether to accept or deny your claim, you are entitled to immediate initial medical care up to a cost of $10,000.00.

If your claim is then denied, you will need to file for a hearing at the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board for State claims or the OWCP for Longshore claims, in order to fight for further medical treatment.

If your claim is accepted, then you have the right to select a doctor to be your Primary Treating Physician (PTP). Usually, the insurance company will have a network of doctors established, a Medical Provider Network (MPN) from which you must choose your PTP.

If the claims examiner happens to dislike the doctor that you selected, you may be sent to a Qualified Medical Examiner (QME) for a second opinion on behalf of the insurance company, or you may be offered an Agreed Medical Examiner (AME).

An AME is a doctor selected jointly by you and the insurance company. Because this selection requires participation by the injured worker, California law only allows this option if the injured worker is represented by an attorney in order to protect injured workers from getting tricked into selecting an unfavorable AME by unscrupulous insurance adjusters.

Selecting your PTP is one the most important decisions you will make during the course of your claim. Not only do you want to receive the best medical care but also, most of your other benefits will be based on the opinions and reports from your PTP. Your PTP will also determine if and when you can go back to work and in what capacity.

Selecting the correct PTP is only half the battle in getting the necessary medical care, however. Once you have selected your doctor and the doctor recommends an appropriate course of medical treatment for you, under California law, the insurance company then has the right to submit these recommendations for an outside review before they agree to pay for the treatment.

This review process is called "Utilization Review" (UR) and is conducted either by the insurance company itself or by an outside company that is paid by the insurance company. Therefore, it is not uncommon for a UR review to result in a denial of treatment by the insurance company.

Search for other articles by the same author or visit the author's website to find out more about this subject.

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Mesothelioma BasicsMesothelioma Basics

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs.

What is the mesothelium? The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.
The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart.
What is mesothelioma? Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.
How common is mesothelioma? Over 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States each year. Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in women and risk increases with age, but this disease can appear in either men or women at any age. See statistics for more details.
What are the risk factors for mesothelioma? Working with asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at work is reported in the majority of cases. However, mesothelioma has been reported in some individuals without any known exposure to asbestos. Click here to learn more about asbestos
Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma? Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers have been exposed to asbestos dust. An increased risk of developing mesothelioma was originally found among shipyard workers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other trades people. Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
There is evidence that family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers.
What are the symptoms of mesothelioma? Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma includeweight loss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face.

How is mesothelioma diagnosed? Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful.

A biopsy confirms a diagnosis of mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. (See Pathology Diagnosis to learn why some patients request a second opinion.)

Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.

What is the conventional approach to treating mesothelioma? Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient's age and general health. Standard treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined. Standard treatment for all but localized mesothelioma is generally not curative. 1 (See survival rates for median survival rates with different treatments.)

Surgery - Extrapleural pneumonectomy in selected patients with early stage disease may improve recurrence-free survival, but its impact on overall survival is unknown. Pleurectomy and decortication can provide palliative relief from symptomatic effusions, discomfort caused by tumor burden, and pain caused by invasive tumor. Operative mortality from pleurectomy/decortication is <2%, while mortality from extrapleural pneumonectomy has ranged from 6% to 30%. 2

Radiation/Chemotherapy - The use of radiation therapy in pleural mesothelioma has been shown to alleviate pain in the majority of patients treated; however, the duration of symptom control is short-lived. Single-agent and combination chemotherapy have been evaluated in single and combined modality studies. The most studied agent is doxorubicin, which has produced partial responses in approximately 15% to 20% of patients studied. Some combination chemotherapy regimens have been reported to have higher response rates in small phase II trials; however, the toxic effects reported are also higher, and there is no evidence that combination regimens result in longer survival or longer control of symptoms. 3

Alimta - The only FDA approved chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma (in combination with cisplatin) is pemetrexed (Alimta). In the key clinical trial that led to its approval, Alimta was combined with another chemotherapy drug (cisplatin) and compared with cisplatin alone. The patients who received the two drugs (Alimta and cisplatin) had their cancers progress (grow/spread) in 5.7 months (median). The patients who only received cisplatin had their tumors progress in 3.9 months (median). The median survival for the patients who received both drugs was 12.1 months versus 9.3 months for cisplatin only. 4

For some physicians, these therapeutic gains are not impressive. For example, some have written, "For the treatment of mesothelioma, there is little evidence that current therapies (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery) provide significant benefit for survival or quality of life.[R]adical treatments, occupying the 3 months after diagnosis, can take up the best 3 months that the patient might have had.Malignant mesothelioma has largely defeated treatment..."5

Sources:

Unless otherwise indicated by an endnote, the above material was adapted from National Cancer Institute Cancer Facts - Mesothelioma: Questions and Answers 5/13/2002.

______________________________________

1. National Cancer Institute Malignant Mesothelioma (PDQ®): Treatment; Health Professional Version - Treatment Option Overview available here on September 30 , 2005.

2. Id.

3. Id.

4. Vogelzang NJ, et al., Phase III study of pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin versus cisplatin alone in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma . J Clin Oncol. 2003 Jul 15;21(14):2636-44.

5. Treasure T, Sedrakyan A., Pleural mesothelioma: little evidence, still time to do trials . Lancet. 2004 Sep 25-Oct 1;364(9440):1183-5.

Asbestos

There are different kinds of asbestos. The most common forms are:

· "White" asbestos or Chrysotile which is obtained from serpentine rocks. Chrysotile is the type most often used in industry. It is more flexible than other types of asbestos and can be spun and woven into fabric. This is the kind of asbestos used in theatre curtains and firefighters' suits.

· "Brown" asbestos or Amosite is a trade name for the amphiboles belonging to the Cummingtonite - Grunerite solid solution series, commonly from Africa.

· "Blue" asbestos or Riebeckite is also known under the name of Crocidolite. Blue asbestos is commonly thought of as the most dangerous type of asbestos.

In the United States, chrysotile has been the most commonly used type of asbestos. Chrysotile was often present in a wide variety of materials, including but not limited to:

• sheetrock taping
• mud and texture coats
• vinyl floor tiles, sheeting, adhesives and ceiling tiles
• plasters and stuccos
• roofing tars, felts, siding, and shingles
• "transite" panels, siding, countertops, and pipes
• acoustical ceilings
• fireproofing
• putty
• caulk
• gaskets

• brake pads and shoes
• clutch plates
• stage curtains
• fire blankets
• interior fire doors
• fireproof clothing for firefighters
• refractory cements and papers

Asbestos has been classified as a known human carcinogen (a substance that causes cancer) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the EPA, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In 1989 the EPA passed the Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule which was subsequently overturned in the case of Corrosion Proof Fittings v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1991. This ruling leaves many consumer products that can still legally contain trace amounts of asbestos.

Although it is clear that health risks from asbestos exposure increase with heavier exposure and longer exposure time, investigators have found asbestos-related diseases in individuals with only brief exposures. Generally, those who develop asbestos-related diseases show no signs of illness for a long time after their first exposure. It can take from 10 to 40 years or more for symptoms of an asbestos-related condition to appear.

Statistics

This chart shows the steadily increasing incidence rate of mesothelioma in the U.S., independent of the increasing population

Data Source: NCI SEER Cancer Statistics Review 1975-2002 Mesotheliomas (Invasive) Age Adjusted SEER Cancer Incidence Rates 1979-2002; Rates are per 100,000 and age adjusted to 2000 U.S. Population and normalized to population of 281,421,906. Paired years averaged.

 

 

This chart shows the increasing incidence rate of mesothelioma in the U.S. by age for Whites, African-Americans, and Hispanic Men

Data Source: CDC National Program of Cancer Registries; 2001 Mesothelioma by age and race; Rates are per 100,000 persons and are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population.

 

 

This chart compares the incidence rates of mesothelioma in the U.S. for men and women

Data Source: NCI SEER Cancer Statistics Review 1975-2002 Mesotheliomas (Invasive) Age Adjusted SEER Cancer Incidence Rates 1979-2002; Rates are per 100,000 and age adjusted to 2000 U.S. Population. Paired years averaged.

 

 

This chart shows the 5-year relative survival rates: These statistics suggest there has been little improvement in survival in 27 years with traditional therapies

Data Source: NCI SEER Cancer Statistics Review 1975-2002 Mesotheliomas (Invasive) Survival Rates by Race, Sex, Diagnosis, Year, Stage and Age - Three year periods averaged.

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