Workers' Compensation Law

The author wanted this book to serve as the perfect marriage between workers' compensation theory and practice. While the book covers most of the traditional areas of workers' compensation doctrine, it also dwells at strategic points to reflect upon the letter of the law. It dares to question doctrine and—more importantly—encourages even the beginning student of workers' compensation to do more than passively receive rules. The author draws on his real world experience as a former injured worker and workers' compensation attorney; and supplements that experience with his theoretical perspective as a teacher and scholar of administrative and employment law. The student is guided through cases by the use of probing introductory questions, reflection sections at the conclusion of many of the cases, and running commentary and "interrogation" by way of text boxes at critical junctures in the cases. The student becomes acquainted with a fictional injured worker—Ann Smith—early in the book and has the opportunity to reflect upon legally significant developments as her case becomes increasingly complex. In the final, problem-solving chapter titled "In the Law Office," students are introduced to materials from actual cases demonstrating even more concretely how the principles they are learning are applied in practice. The resulting product is a natural fit with other titles in the Context and Practice Series. Students are introduced to a body of law through explicit engagement with it, and through exercises and commentary meant to refine their understanding through contextual interaction with black letter rules.

This book is part of the Context and Practice Series, edited by Michael Hunter Schwartz, Professor of Law and Dean of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Bowen School of Law.

PowerPoint slides are available to professors upon adoption of this book. Download sample slides from the full 460-slide presentation here. If you have adopted the book for a course, contact crutan (at) cap-press (dot) com to request the PowerPoint slides.

"Michael C. Duff has a new offering, Workers' Compensation Law: A Context and Practice Casebook. It is beautifully and thoughtfully written, meticulously edited, and covers all the critical issues of the field. Duff announces at the outset that he designed the book under the influence of the Carnegie Foundation's critique of legal education, Educating Lawyers: Preparation for the Practice of Law (2007). …[Duff] has 'deliberately endeavored…wherever possible, [to] treat legal issues in the manner and order practitioners…would most likely encounter them.' …Duff treats all the critical issues the practitioner encounters. …A positive aspect of the book is its freshness, meticulous attention to detail, and exploration of current issues. …A final positive aspect of the book is its price. …Law students—and anyone wanting an education on comp—will welcome the low cost of this fine creation." — Workers' Compensation Law Section Newsletter, Pennsylvania Bar Association