Billing - Case Activity Report

[LMSSC]

Dear Michael,

We need your help.

We are trying to figure out the easiest/most streamlined way to use the 3 tabs for all our money-related office needs:
1. Fees/Costs
2. Billing
3. (Custom one created early for PI called "Case Costs"): Date of Cost, Check #, Payee, Approtionment?, Reason (Bottom reads: *Please Enter the Amount on the Fees/Costs (Tab) at the Costs/Check Amount Space*)

For our plantiff PI and WC Departments, Is there a "standard" explanation about how to use these tabs? (Buttons, etc.?)

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Hi Michael - you asked "For our plantiff PI and WC Departments, Is there a "standard" explanation about how to use these tabs? (Buttons, etc.?)"

I'm not sure which custom tabs you are referring to. Where are the tabs located that you create (client card custom tab, client card user tab,case activity user tab at the bottom (extended UDFs) or user defined field tabs at case activity.

Mike

[LMSSC]

Dear Michael,

Let me expain our situation:

The problem is that we haven't really had a "standard" way to do billing for our WC & PI sides. We are trying to figure out the best way to setup those standards. (From entering them to having a specific "accounting screen" when we close cases)

As for the Case Activity Tabs...

The first 2 are standard. The 3rd is custom... based off of a "Case Costs" Custom Case Activity.

So is there a listing about how to make best use of:
1. Fees/Costs
2. Billing

I know they were originally setup for WC Defense... but I was wondering if there was a help file about how to use them the most efficiently.

Thanks again!

[Anonymous User]

Actually the Fee/Cost tab was originally set up for Rehab for tracking time and/or fees for applicant workers' comp while the Billing was set up for general billing for any area of law.

So, in order to best answer your question, it might make more sense if you could explain in detail what you are trying to keep track of.

For example, in your post above you mention: "We are trying to figure out the best way to setup those standards. (From entering them to having a specific "accounting screen" when we close cases)"

I'm not sure what you are trying to track. Are you trying to track just time for a case? Are you trying to track costs or fees or something else? Also, do you need to print an "ongoing bill" every month or perhaps just a final bill when the case is closed. Eventually the Billing tab might be the best way to go to track everything but you may also use the Fee/Cost tab if you are just looking to keep track of time, costs or fees and just have a final tally when the case is closed.

Hope that helps,
Mike

[LMSSC]

Thanks Michael!

I'm going to go back and speak with the attorneys about WC, SS, and PI... and ask for every instance possible during a case where money is involved (in/out/summaries) to build a good timeline of what exactly each situation needs.

Thanks again!

[LMSSC]

After speaking with WC, PI, and SS - each has different needs when it comes to keeping track of money.

A. In PI you have two sources: the regular settlement and the Med-pay money.

For the regular settlement money most costs are accrued and then handled at the settlement.

Med-pay comes in for Motor vehicle accidents and Premises Liability cases. This is a separate insurance pool of money that we receive and keep in trust until the end of the case and then provide to the client.

Med-pay money may be paid out for doctor’s bills if the client doesn’t have health insurance OR could be paid to client for out of pocket medical expenses (co-pays, medical costs not covered by their health plan,etc.).

B. In SS there are usually just two costs: the exhibit file & the medical records. These costs are taken from either the settlement at the end of a successful case or requested from the client if the case is not successful.

C. WC is different from PI and SS because there is a constant flow of costs and reimbursements during the course of the case. Costs are requested in the form of Liens which are then paid by the employer/insurance company.

However there are also WC: 132a/S&W cases which work more like a PI case in regards to money. All costs are reimbursed at the settlement with the employer paying up to $250 of the liens.

Sometimes (through rarely) we have cases that rather than paying out a lump attorney fee sum a percentage is taken from each check the client receives.

Questions:

1. In Case Activity, The Billing tab is greyed out - how would we activate it? I notice that information relating to its contents are the Help - "Case Activity - Billing Tab". Are there help files for the other parts/ways to keep track of money? For example when would using the "PAID" button be most useful? Can the "PAID" (button) be upgraded so like tasks you could input additional information (like maybe how it was paid and when).

2. For each of our department needs, what would be good ways to set this up? Improve what we currently have?

A. PI
Currently for PI we have A1 Word Processing "Check Request" letters that then post into a User Defined Category called "Case Costs" where a User Defined Case Activity tab called "Case Costs" is used + the "Fees/Costs" (tab) to put in the Costs/Check Amount.

When we want a running total we go to the "Case Costs" (Category): Print - Case Activity Report Menu - Costs

-Would it be possible to automatically post certain information (like the amount, reason for the check) directly from the letters to the Case Activity?

B. SS?

C. WC?

D. For all 3 cases a separate area to keep track of the money we receive from handling the case for accounting purposes?

Thanks again!

[Anonymous User]

1. Click Tools, System, Configure Group Defaults, Case Activity Security, Allow User To Edit Billing

The Paid button is sometimes used when offices are not using the Billing tab and they don't have rights to edit case activity events but do have rights to click the Paid button so as to put the word PAID at the beginning of the event (so it's like an Edit where one adds the word PAID at the beginning of the entry).

2. Fee/Costs are great for easily tracking time and/or money where one may want to print a complete list during or at the end of the case. It is not so much used for "monthly billing" where the Billing tab would be.

command = memory,postactadvanced will allow you to post anything to case activity. It's just a question of where you would like things to be posted to (what fields) but this command will do it (such as posting into user defined fields).

Fees may be tracked in all cases in a separate case activity category that you can create (or create separate categories for each of the types of cases).

Mike

[LMSSC]

Thanks for the information. The Billing Tab looks very interesting for general use. If you used the Billing Tab:

1. What commands would you use to pull information from letters automatically into that Billing Tab area?

2. How would you do Reports that would summarize all of your Billing Posts?

Sincerely, Michael Lerner - Network Administrator - Lerner, Moore, Silva, Cunningham & Rubel

[Anonymous User]

1. You would have to use the <<command = memory,postactadvanced but it depends on what you are trying to update in that section automatically from a form letter.

2. There is a Billing Report to print monthly invoices in the Reports section then go to the third tab.

Also - at case activity, other features you can quickly and easily see the outstanding bill. Finally, you can quickly Right Click on the Show All checkbox at case activity to flip it to a billing only mode to quickly see fees/payments. Right click again to flip back to the normal mode.

Mike

[LMSSC]

1. Is it possible to use the Billing Tab for two separate Sets of Billing by using two different Case Activity Categories?

For example two categories:

A. Would be General Case Costs

B. Would be Med-Pay

When I am in the Category "General Case Costs" and Go to Case activity - Other features - Billing Status & Reports - would it only show the Billing Status for my current category?

2. Could you be Case Activity Category specific about printed Reports?

3. In regards to printing Billing Reports - I added some Case Activity Entries using the Billing Tab (a Payment, a Fee, an Adjustment & a Cost) and then went to Reports - Billing Report... and ran it using only a filter for this month.

I received the "ALERT - No Billing Records Found" message. Am I doing this correctly?

Plus "Quick Summary" - showed no information.

4. Case activity - Other features - Billing Status & Reports - Is there any way you can print this displayed window? Print this information with individual Billing activity details?

Thanks again!

Sincerely, Michael Lerner - Network Administrator - Lerner, Moore, Silva, Cunningham & Rubel