The Dan Jewell Workers’ Compensation Institute is designed to help Nebraska lawyers without significant workers’ compensation experience enhance their legal skills necessary to prepare and try this specific type of case.
Throughout the institute, participants are immersed in real trial scenarios, guided by experienced attorney mentors, and presided over by Nebraska judges. This hands-on approach allows attendees to gain invaluable practical insights into the world of workers' compensation law.
Attorney participants will have the opportunity to:
- Confer with experienced Trial Mentors beginning two weeks prior to the Institute
- Identify key issues and prepare a Pre-Trial Statement
- Evaluate medical issues and solicit medical evidence
- Deliver Opening Statements
- Call, examine and cross-examine witnesses
- Offer exhibits and argue the case
The case involves a back injury to a garbage truck driver who deviated from his assigned route against company policy to help a fellow worker.
Issues presented in the selected case, include whether the injury arose out and in the course of employment, whether the injury constituted a compensable aggravation of a pre-existing condition and the extent of lost earning power, if any, caused by the injury. A Nebraska Workers’ Compensation judge will preside over the trial.
Each trial will have two attorney participants representing the plaintiff and two attorney participants representing the defense. Each trial team will be assigned an experienced workers’ compensation mentor.
Workers’ Compensation Dan Jewell Steering Committee
The Steering Committee was responsible for creating the case materials including all the exhibits. Micah Hawker Boehnke took the lead in creating the case and drafting the materials and deserves special recognition for his contribution.
Members
Lincoln: Chair – Dallas D. Jones, Hon. Dirk V. Block & Micah D. Hawker Boehnke. Omaha: William D. Andres, Aaron F. Brown, Robert D. Mullin Jr., & Dennis Riekenberg. North Platte: James J. Paloucek.