Both Sides of the Aisle: PA Workers' Comp from Plaintiff & Defense with Kaleigh Ryder | Ep. 21

Both Sides of the Aisle: PA Workers' Comp from Plaintiff & Defense with Kaleigh Ryder | Ep. 21 What does a workers' compensation claim look like from inside an insurance company? In this episode of the McMenamin and Wing Show, managing partner Tom Wing sits down with Kaleigh Ryder — senior in-house counsel at one of the region's top insurance carriers — for a rare, candid conversation about how Pennsylvania workers' comp cases are won, lost, and settled from both sides of the aisle. From late-reporting red flags to panel provider rules, Medicare Set-Asides to settlement timing, Tom and Katie pull back the curtain on the strategies, signals, and systems that shape every PA workers' compensation claim — and what injured workers absolutely need to know before they make a costly mistake. What You'll Learn The #1 mistake injured workers make — and why it can kill a claim before it starts What red flags defense counsel looks for when deciding to deny a workers' comp claim How the panel provider system works — and how employers routinely fail to comply Why an orthopedic walk-in clinic can change the outcome of your case When settlement talks begin and how both plaintiff and defense use the same formula to value a claim Why in-house insurance counsel is often easier to deal with than outside defense firms How AI tools like ChatGPT are giving injured workers unrealistic case valuations The truth behind the McDonald's hot coffee case — and what it really means for injury claims Topics Covered Late reporting — Why waiting even a weekend to report an injury can get your claim denied, and why insurers are naturally suspicious of delays The 3-step rule — Report the injury → See a doctor → Call a lawyer. In that order. Red flags for insurers — Late reporting, no witnesses, attorney retained on day one, attorney-referred doctors, and when the mechanism doesn't match the injury Panel provider rules in PA — Every employer must post a panel provider list, workers' comp rights notice, and insurance documentation. Most small contractors don't — and that means injured workers can see their own doctor The 90-day insurer medical control window — What it is, how it works, and why it's an affirmative defense the insurer has to prove (not the injured worker) Concentra vs. orthopedic walk-in clinics — Why urgent care centers aren't built for serious injuries, and how getting to an ortho walk-in clinic gets you an MRI the same day Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) — How catastrophic and long-term claims get structured, and why getting Medicare involved changes everything In-house vs. outside defense counsel — How billing incentives at outside firms affect how long cases drag on, and why in-house counsel tends to be more pragmatic AI and case value expectations — Why clients using ChatGPT to value their claims are setting themselves up for frustration Workers' comp settlement formula — Medical bills, wage payments, the 500-week cap, and impairment rating evaluations (IREs) — how both sides are working from the same numbers Dabbler lawyers — Why workers' comp is one of the most specialized areas of law and what happens when a personal injury attorney tries to handle a comp claim About Kaleigh Ryder Kaleigh Ryder is senior in-house counsel at one of the top insurance companies in the Delaware Valley. A first-generation lawyer and Widener University School of Law graduate, Katie worked her way through law school as a single mother — bartending 20 hours a week, navigating repeated custody hearings, and relying on food stamps and daycare assistance to make it work. She interned at the DA's office and worked on both the plaintiff and defense sides of workers' comp before joining her current carrier — giving her a uniquely balanced view of how the system really operates. Resources McMenamin & Wing — Pennsylvania's full-service workers' compensation firm, operating statewide across four offices. 📞 215-609-4183 🌐 workerscompadvocates.com About the McMenamin and Wing S