About the California Workers' Compensation Reporter

Every month since April 1973, the Reporter (CWCR) has been a valued resource to those involved with workers’ compensation claims and injured workers’ civil damages lawsuits. Each month, CWCR’s editors review a large number of appellate court and Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) opinions to find those most likely to aid practitioners in their present and future case handling. CWCR’s experienced writers analyze the selected opinions, summarize what they teach, and comment on their practical implications (and occasionally on what they did not say or consider).

Now in their 51st year, CWCR case summaries have been cited as authority by the California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal, as well as by Workers’ Compensation Judges and the WCAB.

To sample how CWCR might vitally contribute to your work, as an attorney, an insurer, a medical provider or witness, or someone otherwise handling or responding to injured workers’ claims, visit https://cwcr.info.

Staff

Barry M. Lesch

Legal writer, editor

Barry has been with the Reporter since 1976. A certified specialist in workers' compensation law for more than 30 years, he is of counsel in the workers' compensation insurance defense firm of Laughlin, Falbo, Levy and Moresi in Oakland. A graduate of Boalt Law School in 1975, he has been a member of the State Bar of California since then. He has also been a member of the United States Supreme Court Bar since 1980. He is a contributor to California Workers’ Compensation Practice (4th ed, Cal CEB 2000), author of other publications, and a frequent speaker at California State Bar and California Workers’ Compensation Defense Attorneys Association (CWCDAA) programs.

Paul Peyrat

Legal writer, editor

From the Reporter's inception in 1973, Paul has reported and commented on the interrelationship between WCAB proceedings and lawsuits to recover personal injury and wrongful death damages. A University of Minnesota Law School graduate and a member of the California bar since 1961, he continues to serve as a writer and legal editor for Continuing Education of the Bar and other publishers and as a consultant to attorneys. He has served as a neutral arbitrator and and municipal court judge pro tem. His published articles and books, many cited and discussed by appellate courts, include California Workers' Damages Practice (2d ed., Cal CEB 2001), California Tort Guide (3d ed., Cal CEB 1996), and California Tort Damages (2d ed., 2002), with their yearly updates.

Dickie Magidoff

Designer, producer

Dickie (Wandering Mind Productions) is a typographer and designer for more than 35 years, typesets and prepares the Reporter for printing.

Sandra Lesch

Designer, producer

Sandra is a financial consultant who manages business and subscription services supporting CWCR, including subscription and back issue fulfillment, database management, and recordkeeping. She can be reached at info@cwcrwitt.com and at 510–843–1381.

Mary Fenneman

Editorial assistant

Mary has performed copyediting and proofreading for the Reporter since 1989, as well as indexing, journalism, and consultation services. Formerly a production editor at University of California Press, she has also worked for several legal publishers and educators, including California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB), the California Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER), the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada, Reno, and the Matthew Bender Company.