Attorneys Eric Hayes and Sean Abernathy were able to successfully defeat a penalty claim initiated by a claimant and her attorney.  In support of the alleged penalty claim, the employee testified that because her settlement check was late, she was entitled to several thousands of dollars in penalties.  Buttressing the theory that she was entitled to a large penalty were images of the envelop eventually delivered to her by US mail carrying the settlement check.   The envelope had “date stamps” showing when it was processed by various mail facilities.  The employee’s theory was that the employer/insurer could have manipulated the envelope’s date stamps in an effort to cover up its “negligent” actions in issuing the check late.  However, the court disregarded those theories as unpersuasive, relying in part on the testimony of the adjuster who credibly testified about the process of issuing settlement checks, documentation showing accurate payment timeframes and proof that all the other settlement checks to interveners were sent and received timely.  The court denied all penalty claims in their entirety for Eric and Sean’s client.

Brown & Carlson is honored to announce that attorney Beth Butler has been named as a 2023 Minnesota Super Lawyer Rising Star. The Rising Star list recognizes no more than 2.5 percent of attorneys in each state. Congrats!

Brown & Carlson, P.A. is a 27-attorney, AV rated, insurance defense law firm in the St. Louis Park area seeking to add a talented attorney to our busy Workers’ Compensation practice.  The ideal candidate would have 2-6 years of workers’ compensation experience.  Our growing firm provides a full array of benefits and a great working environment, including flexible remote work opportunities.  Culture is a key component to our workplace, making us a Star Tribune Top Workplace winner the past 7 years.  A strong work ethic and ability to thrive in a team-oriented atmosphere are qualities we seek.  The position is a great opportunity for attorneys who wish to develop strong, well-rounded litigation and advocacy skills and to grow a robust network of business contacts.  Our firm is dedicated to creating a collegial, diverse workplace.  We offer a competitive compensation package and seek partnership track candidates.  Please email resume and cover letter to Barbara Romanko, bromanko@brownandcarlson.com.

Brown & Carlson is an equal opportunity employer.  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

Brown & Carlson employees and family members volunteered at Feed My Starving Children helping to pack 176 boxes of food, which contained 38,016 meal which will feed 104 kids daily for a year. Getting involved in our community is a companywide value at Brown & Carlson.

Congratulations to David McDonnell Forney on achieving 20 years of exemplary work service with Brown & Carlson!  David takes his Mail Clerk position very seriously and the firm appreciates that level of professionalism.  Over the years, David expanded in his role to include paper management, which gave him the opportunity to move around the office more and allowed our staff more opportunities to get to know him better.   We appreciate David for his positive attitude toward work and for inspiring others to do their best.  We are sincerely grateful to Kaposia for introducing us to David and providing us the opportunity to have him join our team back on March 16, 2003.  We look forward to celebrating many more milestones with David. 

B&C employees had a blast dressing in red to support the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement! Find out more information about #GoRedForWomen here: https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/get-involved/give/wear-red-and-give

Our Senior Shareholders had a great time in Seattle during their annual retreat where they discussed the past year, long-term planning, upcoming goals, and future objectives.

Brown & Carlson attorneys Gina Uhrbom, Mandi Irkfetz , and Beth Butler joined other Women of Work Comp (WOWc) on a St. Croix boat cruise.  This was a wonderful opportunity to spend time connecting with our peers and colleagues for networking, collaboration, and fun. Brown & Carlson culture ensures its attorneys numerous such opportunities throughout the year to promote collegiality.

Brown & Carlson welcomes new associate attorneys Eric Behr, Beth Butler, and Christiaan van Lierop

Eric Behr received his law degree from University of St. Thomas School of Law where he was a member of the intellectual property moot court team.

Beth Butler is a zealous advocate for her clients and has over 5 years of experience in the Workers’ Compensation field. Beth was named a 2022 Super Lawyer Rising Star. 

Christiaan van Lierop received his law degree from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Christiaan has experience in Workers’ Compensation with both pursuing and defending claims.

In this episode Eric Hayes and Jerry Sisk discuss Independent Medical Examination considerations in MN Workers’ Compensation.