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Phil Neal Walker Challenges Newsom to "Campaign for Workers' Comp Reform"

"If Gavin Newsom wants to do something important as Lt. Governor, he should campaign for fixing the state's broken and corrupt Workers' Comp system," said attorney Phil Neal Walker, organizer of this week's "Making Workers Comp Work" Conference (www.makingworkerscompwork.com), currently underway at San Francisco's Marriott Hotel. Walker, an internationally-recognized authority on Workers' Comp issues, offered his challenge on the heels of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's announcement that he was seeking the State's second-highest elected office this November. "To those who say the Lt. Governor's post is second fiddle, I say to Mayor Newsom, take that instrument and blare out a symphony for real change that will help real people's lives and help California make real progress."

Five years post-S.B. 899, the March 11-12 Conference has brought together disparate players to start fixing a broken workers' comp system in California. The conference is designed for employers, claims professionals, lawyers, doctors, human resource professionals, risk managers, and anyone whose work involves California workers' compensation. It will take place at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis on March 11-12.

The Making Workers Comp Work Conference features industry leaders including the United States Marine Corps, Virgin America, University of California, Salesforce.com, Los Angeles County, Willis Insurance, City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Unified School District, Santa Clara County, Stanislaus County, Work Comp Central, and leading physicians, attorneys, insurance professionals, and claims representatives including Dr. Nortin Hadler, Dr. Bob Barth, Dr. Alan Colledge (Medical Director of Utah Work Comp), Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Barbara Krantz, Dr. Mel Pohl, Dr. John Alchemy, Zachary Sacks, Esq., Phil Walker, Esq., Ben Pugh, Esq., Jake Jacobsmeyer, Esq., Kevin Shaw, Esq., David Cohen, Esq., Ron Garrity, Esq., Littler Mendelson, Jerry Fogel (architect of the Florida worker's comp reforms), Cheryl Morosini, Dave Chetcuti, Angela Livingston, Annette Lindley, Diane Cohen, Debra Hinz, First Comp, CCMSI, Sedgwick CMS, and Travelers Insurance.

"We are partnering with leaders in the workers comp industry to start fixing a broken system and champion reforms that benefit all parties in the system," said Walker, conference organizer and worker's comp attorney at The Phil Neal Walker Law Firm (www.philnealwalkerlaw.com). "We are convening the first-ever workers comp community conference that brings together all the players to share ideas and best practices to help create a system that operates with maximum justice, effectiveness and -- most of all -- integrity."