The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania rejected an injured police officer’s constitutional challenges to the state’s new impairment rating evaluation scheme. Case: Powell v. City of Philadelphia (WCAB), No.  406 C.D. 2023,…

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania rejected an injured municipal employee’s constitutional challenges to the state's new impairment rating process. Case: Epps v. City of Philadelphia (WCAB), No. 835 C.D. 2023, 07/08/2024,…

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that an injured firefighter was not entitled to reinstatement of his benefits. Case: Marinack v. City of Pittsburgh (WCAB), City of Pittsburgh v. Marinack (WCAB),…

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…

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania rejected a worker’s constitutional challenges to the state's new impairment rating evaluation process. Douglas Bellamy worked for the City of Philadelphia. He suffered injuries in a…

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania rejected yet another constitutional challenge to the state's new impairment rating evaluation procedure. Case: Perilli v. City of Philadelphia (WCAB), No. 1110 C.D. 2023, 08/01/2024, unpublished. Facts:…

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld a determination that a union painter’s direct employer was liable for his benefits but was entitled to a pension offset — and that the worker had…

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania rejected another constitutional challenge to the state's new impairment rating evaluation procedure and scolded the attorney responsible for bringing the repetitive claims. Case: Bernard v. City…

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that a pension offset is not available when the retiree returns to work for a former employer on a part-time basis and suffers an…

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania rejected another repetitive challenge to the constitutionality of the state's new impairment rating evaluation process. Case: Miles v. City of Philadelphia (WCAB), No. 1111 C.D. 2023,…

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania rejected yet another constitutional challenge to the state's new impairment rating evaluation process. Pamela Barrett Walker worked for the City of Philadelphia. She suffered injuries at…

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania continues to reject repetitive challenges to the constitutionality of the state's new impairment rating evaluation process. Case: Kittles v. City of Philadelphia (WCAB), No. 1058 C.D.

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…

Pennsylvania lawmakers sent Gov. Josh Shapiro bills that would make direct deposit the default way to pay work comp benefits and make it easier for first responders to receive benefits…

A Missouri appellate court ruled that an employer was entitled to direct a worker’s future medical care even though it had refused to pay for her treatment for more than a…

The Missouri Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s claim for benefits for a knee injury allegedly caused by his misstep while descending a flight of stairs. Case: Fernandez…

The Missouri Court of Appeals overturned a denial of Second Injury Fund benefits to a long-time aircraft mechanic with a multitude of injuries. James Eckardt spent over 40 years working as…

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on Tuesday announced two appointments to the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau Governing Committee and the California Insurance Guarantee Association board of governors. C. Bryan Little (www.fels.net) …

California’s 2nd District Court of Appeals published its July decision finding that the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund is required to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that it…

California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health, commonly known as Cal/OSHA, has increased staffing in its Bureau of Investigations Unit to take on more probes into serious workplace injuries across the…

The California Assembly passed a bill that would require some doctors who perform utilization reviews to be licensed in the state. The Assembly on Thursday voted 54-13 to pass SB 636,…

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California’s Actuarial Committee will review insurer experience reports during a meeting Tuesday. Committee members will discuss the report evaluating insurer experience as of June 30,…

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation said it is closing a virtual district office in Eureka on Oct. 18 and shifting cases to Santa Rosa. Beginning Oct. 1, all hearing requests…

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…

Pacific Workers’ Compensation Law Center in Oakland hired Yuvanna M. Davis as a workers’ compensation attorney. Yuvanna M. Davis The firm said Davis has a strong background in workers’ rights and…

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California on Thursday announced the promotion of Tony Milano to executive vice president and chief actuary. Tony Milano “Tony’s promotion to our Senior Leadership…

About 15% of COVID-19 claims with medical payments involved treatment for long COVID symptoms, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California reported. More than one in seven COVID-19 claims filed…

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,…

Average charged rates increased in the first six months of 2024, suggesting recent rate declines are flattening, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California said in its latest quarterly…

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California announced that insurers, agents and brokers can access recently published 2025 experience modifications for policyholders. Insurers, agents and brokers who use WCIRB Connect…

The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled that a worker’s settlement of his compensation claim against his employer did not preclude him from pursuing a civil suit against alleged third-party tortfeasors…

Federal workplace safety inspectors fined a tire maker in Georgia $271,930 for safety violations allegedly uncovered during the investigation of a fatal accident. Steven Brookins, 57, died April 10 at a…

A divided Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that an employee who injures a colleague must be acting within the course and scope of employment when the incident occurs to receive the…

Medical management firm OccMD on Tuesday announced the appointment of Cheryl Killion as the new director of nurse case management effective June 1. Killion has served as a senior nurse case…

AppliedVR appointed Michael Marsau as its executive director of workers’ compensation. Michael Marsau Marsau is overseeing the launch of the company’s flagship RelieVRx prescription therapeutic into the workers’ compensation market, the…

The Workers’ Compensation Division of Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Cos. appointed Marj Hutchings as its chief information officer. Marj Hutchings Hutchings brings 35 years of technology experience, 27 of which are in…

The U.S. Department of Labor announced that the federal court for the Northern District of New York found that an ophthalmologist and his practice illegally fired a worker who complained…

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…

A federal appellate court upheld the denial of a coal miner’s third claim for black lung benefits. Case: Hitt v. OWCP, No. 23-1916, 08/15/2024, unpublished. Facts: Robert Hitt worked in the coal…

The National Council on Compensation Insurance said its analysis of impairment ratings in 33 states plus the District of Columbia found that the average whole-body impairment rating for permanently disabled…

The U.S. Labor Department said it received more than $350,000 in back wages for workers at a Michigan construction company who were misclassified as contractors and for a truck driver…

A federal appellate court ruled that an injured longshoreman who has hearing loss in one ear and bilateral tinnitus is properly compensated at the statutory rate. Case: Total Terminals International LLC…

A federal judge ordered CSX Transportation Inc. to pay $453,510 to two railroad workers who were fired after raising workplace safety concerns in 2017. The judge also ordered the company to…

The Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents announced that employers must use and display a revised employee notice form, starting Sept. 16. Employers are required to fill out the posters by providing…

The Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice said it ended an inquiry into a state senator who allegedly did not disclose that he was working while collecting workers’ compensation benefits, saying…

The Connecticut Appellate Court decided that a city was no longer liable for benefits to its former fire chief under a pension offset and that its appeal regarding benefits, interest and…

The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission announced that Wesley G. Marshall was elected to a three-year term as chairman, effective Monday. Wesley G. Marshall Marshall succeeds Commissioner Robert A. Rapaport, whose term…

The Virginia Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a firefighter with an aortic aneurysm had presumptively occupational heart disease. Case: Hanover County v. Moore, No. 0715-23-2, 07/09/2024, unpublished. Facts: Scott Moore…

The West Virginia Supreme Court clarified the proper method for apportioning preexisting impairments that have been definitely ascertained and impact multiple body parts. Case: Logan-Mingo Area Mental Health Inc. v. Lester,…

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld an award of benefits for a janitor who contracted Legionnaires’ disease. Case: Scottish Rite Bodies of Charleston v. Weese, No. 22-0427, 06/10/2024, published. Facts: Thomas W. Weese worked…