The Pennsylvania Supreme Court split on whether a physician should be limited to assigning an impairment rating only for accepted work-related injuries, but it doesn't change a decision allowing the doctor to consider…

Pennsylvania employers would be allowed to make adverse employment decisions against employees and job applicants who legally use medical cannabis, under recently introduced legislation. Senate Bill 1290, introduced Wednesday by Sen. Patrick…

The Workers Compensation Research Institute is holding a webinar on Oct. 2 to cover key findings from the latest editions of its CompScope Benchmarks and Medical Benchmarks for Pennsylvania, as…

Pennsylvania Rep. Lindsay Powell introduced legislation that would require that the same eligibility standards apply when awarding death benefits to widows and widowers while also exempting spouses of first responders…

The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a bill that would make direct deposit the default method for paying workers' compensation benefits, and the Senate signed off on a measure that would make…

Although the Idaho Industrial Commission erred in several credibility findings, the remainder of its determinations finding that an injured worker was not a reliable witness were supported by substantial and…

The California Senate unanimously passed a bill that would allow carriers to continue using debit cards to pay benefits for another two years. The Senate on Monday voted 38-0 to pass…

The California Assembly Appropriations Committee passed bills that would create a presumption that heat injuries are compensable for agricultural workers and would expose employers to penalties for denying injured workers’…

California lawmakers passed a bill that, if approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would allow county park rangers to collect full salary-continuation benefits in lieu of temporary disability for up to…

California employers could deny an injured worker’s request for time off to get medical treatment for business necessity, under a recently amended bill. Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, on Monday amended…

A bill that would require some doctors performing utilization review to be licensed in the state was brought back to life after spending roughly a year on the California Assembly’s…

Electronic signatures would be allowed for all California workers’ compensation documents, under a recently amended bill. Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, last week amended AB 2337 to strike a provision that…

The California Assembly voted to send Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill that would create the presumption that heat injuries and illnesses arose out of employment for agricultural workers whose employers…

California lawmakers closed out the 2024 legislative session by passing a bill that would allow electronic signatures on all work comp documents, and a bill requiring that doctors who do utilization review on claims…

The Governing Committee for the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau will review pending legislative, regulatory and judicial actions during a Sept. 25 meeting. Committee members will hear reports on the annual…

A California appellate court ruled that the Privette doctrine shielded a general contractor from civil liability to a subcontractor’s injured employee. Case: Luna v. Crane Development Corp., No. D081692, 09/20/2024, unpublished. Facts:…

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill allowing electronic signatures in the state’s workers’ compensation system. Newsom on Sunday signed AB 2337, by Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach. As introduced, the…

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill delaying by two years the implementation of a universal workers’ compensation coverage requirement for all contractors. The bill Newsom signed Sunday also includes a…

California Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted legislation allowing carriers to continue using prepaid debit cards for payment of temporary and permanent disability benefits. At the same time, the governor vetoed a bill…

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California announced that Andrea Coleman will succeed Bill Mudge as president and CEO next year. Andrea Coleman Coleman’s promotion will take effect Feb. 1,…

A California appellate court has ordered the publication of its decision from last month finding that a trial judge prejudicially erred in excluding the testimony of a railway worker’s expert…

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that a worker was partially disabled by carpal tunnel syndrome and the Workers’ Disability Compensation Appeals Commission should address whether she received an overpayment…

A federal appellate court ruled that a contractor who hired a crane company’s services was immune from civil liability for injuries suffered by an employee of the crane company. Case: Hall v.

The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled that an employer can face civil liability for the death of an employee who was shot at work by a colleague. Solo Cup Operating Corp.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed bills creating a new venue for legacy claims and covering public safety workers with mental health claims that aren’t accompanied by a physical injury. Stitt on…

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that an employer may not contractually create common-law negligence liability by setting additional nonemployer roles or capacities when the liability is based on the same physical…

A divided Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that two workers employed by a local delivery contractor for Amazon Inc. could not be compelled to arbitrate their workers’ compensation retaliation claims. Case: Mathis…

The Arkansas Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker was not permanently and totally disabled by the loss of her left eye. Case: Murphy v. Arkansas Department of Correction,…

The Workers Compensation Research Institute is holding a 30-minute webinar on June 6 to discuss the impact of excessive heat on workplace injuries. WCRI recently released a study measuring the extent…

Physician assistants and nurse practitioners would be authorized to treat injured federal workers under a bill being debated in the U.S. House of Representatives. HR 618, by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., would add…

The Workers Compensation Research Institute is holding a 30-minute webinar Aug. 1 to discuss key findings from its study of interstate variation and trends in work comp drug payments. The WCRI…

A federal appellate court created a split among the circuits on whether the parent company of a self-insuring coal mine operator can be held liable for black lung benefits owed…

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is holding a reporting webinar Sept. 12. The program will cover best practices and reminders for non-group health plans that are required to…

Tower MSA Partners is holding a webinar Oct. 2  covering the ins and outs of Medicare set-asides. Dan Anders The program will cover topics including the appropriate time to obtain a…

The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee passed a bill that would authorize physician assistants and nurse practitioners to treat injured federal workers. The committee on Wednesday voted 12-3…

The Iowa Supreme Court overturned a finding that the Second Injury Fund was not liable for a worker’s permanent total disability after she suffered two different leg injuries. Case: Delaney v.

A finding that an injured worker is totally incapacitated does not create an entitlement to permanent disability benefits as a matter of law, a split Connecticut Supreme Court said in…

The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals ruled that the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review erred in applying the standard of compensability for occupational pneumoconiosis to a widow’s claim for…

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker was not entitled to an increase in his award for occupational pneumoconiosis. Case: Puleo v. Coronado Group LLC, No.

A federal appellate court upheld the summary dismissal of an injured mechanic’s claim for disability discrimination. Case: Goosen v. Minnesota Department of Transportation, No. 23-2360, 06/24/2024, published. Facts: Robert Wayne Goosen worked…

The Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation is hosting a webinar on May 22 to discuss presiding officer directives. The division said the program will focus on the origin of presiding officer…

A Texas appellate court ruled that a public school district was immune from civil liability to a former employee on her retaliatory discharge claim. Case: Conroe Independent School District v. Osuna,…

A Texas appellate court ruled that a nonsignatory to an agreement could not compel arbitration of a family’s wrongful death claims despite its purported adoption of an occupational injury benefit…

The Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation is holding a webinar Wednesday to cover how to complete wage statements. The division said the training will focus on DWC Form-003 and DWC Form-003SD.

The Insurance Council of Texas is holding a webinar Aug. 12 that will cover the use of social media when resolving workers’ compensation claims. Marci Reading, vice president of business development…

The Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation is hosting a free webinar Nov. 7 to cover how to become a treating doctor. The program will teach attendees the requirements to become a…

A Texas appellate court dismissed an insurance carrier’s challenge to a trial judge’s finding of compensability for a worker’s death, ruling that the judgment entered had been void. Case: Texas Mutual…

A Texas appellate court denied an injured worker's petition for mandamus relief of a trial judge’s order compelling him to arbitrate a negligence claim against his nonsubscribing employer. Adrian Murillo worked…

A split Mississippi Court of Appeals upheld a finding that a worker’s compensable right-foot injury did not leave her permanently and totally disabled and that her left-foot injury was not compensable. Case:…

The Washington Court of Appeals held that a law prohibiting injured workers from posting to social media recordings of their independent medical examinations is an unconstitutional prior restraint on free…