Who We Are and What We Do
Burns-Hoffman Consulting specialises in the provision of expert medico-legal assessments and reports in MVA, professional indemnity, public liability and medical negligence claims, as well as functional capacity evaluations in labour related incapacity matters as per the criteria set out in the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995.
Although Elise Burns-Hoffman stepped back from carrying out functional capacity evaluations related to life insurance disability claims in mid-2018, in preference to increasing her availability for the provision of independent, expert opinion in this domain (particularly assisting individuals with life insurance contractual claims disputes), she remains available for the completion of assessments and reports in complex, disputed and or litigious disability claims.
Other areas of consulting provided by Burns-Hoffman Consulting include:
- Facilitated mediation in medical-negligence and disability claims related matters.
- Assessment of the suitability and capability of spousal return-to-work in divorce rehabilitative maintenance claims.
- Specialised training workshops as per client request – particularly related to life insurance contractual claims matters.
- Business coaching – see www.bhcoaching.co.za
Elise Burns-Hoffman
Elise obtained her Occupational Therapy degree from UCT in 1987 and has completed further studies in life insurance; law, with a special interest in the law of contract and mediation. She held claims management positions with three international Reinsurance companies in South Africa and was one of the founding directors of a Lireas Holdings backed company before launching Burns-Hoffman and Associates in January 2005.
Burns-Hoffman and Associates enjoyed a national presence in South Africa and was represented in four provinces between 2005 and mid-2016, before Elise chose to alter the business structure so as to enable her to focus on specific areas of professional interest, expand her business coaching practice nationally and globally, while also investing back into post-graduate education and training of health professionals and life / disability claims assessors. The latter gave rise to the first ever South African university certified expert witness training course for health professionals, run in conjunction with the UCT Health Sciences Faculty, as well as a practical and legal claims management training course run under UCT Law@Work.
‘A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.’ Nelson Mandela
Elise held the position of the first Case Manager for the Red Tab Foundation of Levi Strauss in South Africa, forming part of the global Red Tab team from 2008 until 2017, at which stage she elected to pass the baton on. She considers the work carried out for the Red Tab Foundation to have been one of her most exciting and greatest career privileges experienced to date, with immense learning and understanding gained with regard to the challenges of the production environment.
During 2012 Elise held the position of Chief Executive Officer of Accountability Now and co-authored the first edition of the handbook titled ‘Know your Rights, Claim your Rights’, a publication that has been used by many law faculties across South Africa and has since extended into a second, updated edition – see www.accountabilitynow.org.za
The core services offered by Burns-Hoffman Consulting include the following:
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