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In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael catch up with Judge David Langham, Deputy Chief Judge of the State of Florida, and a prolific writer, blogger, educator, and speaker.

If you're curious about the history of Florida’s workers’ compensation system, don’t miss our conversation with Judge Langham. He's widely recognized as the leading legal authority on this topic.

In addition to a concise and thorough history lesson on the Florida work comp system, we discuss a few other key points specific to Florida.

To access resources Judge Langham mentioned during the episode, including his free downloadable book: "Floridiana and the Workers' Compensation Adjudicators," visit www.dwlangham.com

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

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In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael chat with friend and colleague Rosa Royo, Director, Workers' Compensation and Loss Prevention at Miami-Dade County Public Schools. This is Rosa's second time visiting us at Deconstructing Comp. This school system is the third largest school system in the country with 450 school sites, 335,000 students and over 40,000 employees (based on most current statistics).

We start off the episode talking about what each of us are doing creatively that we have not done before, or haven't done in a while. Rosa talks about playing string instruments, Rafael talks about getting back into tennis, and Yvonne talks about doodling and art.

Rosa talks about the need to pivot quickly and why it is important to regularly review your program for areas that are weak and need to be strengthened. She discusses how post-pandemic workers' compensation care is strained due to not having adequate access to providers and providers aging out of the system. She spends much of her time reviewing her provider network and ensuring she is doing her best to fill the gaps where they are exist.

Rosa also talks about the importance of communication, a common theme in our episodes. She personally signs over 4,000 get well cards per year that are sent out in packages to injured workers. It is a small gesture that Rosa says pays high dividends: 16% reduction in litigation when she started this practice.

Dive into the full episode and hear what else Rosa has to say.

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

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In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne and Rafael welcome Gina Jacobs, a defense attorney with Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel LLP, to share what it’s like navigating workers’ compensation from the defense side. Joining from Orlando, Gina brings a candid look at how defense counsel approaches claims, collaborates with employers and carriers, and works toward fair resolutions within Florida’s workers' compensation system.

Gina’s journey into law is one of purpose and passion. After spending more than 10 years as a claims professional, working with Crawford & Company, Zenith Insurance, and Gallagher Bassett, she made the leap to law school to deepen her understanding of the industry she already loved. Today, that background shapes her work as a defense attorney, giving her rare empathy for claims adjusters and a deep appreciation for how every stakeholder impacts the outcome of claims.

Throughout the conversation, Gina shares how she balances advocacy with understanding, why communication remains at the heart of every successful case, her commitment to partnerships, and how she’s using her experience to mentor and educate the next generation of professionals in workers’ compensation.

This engaging episode offers a thoughtful and balanced look at what it means to defend claims while staying true to the people and purpose behind the process.

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp