Amazon warehouses are particularly unsafe during Prime Day and the holiday season because the company disregards safety protocols so workers can keep up with the high volume of orders, according…

The U.S. Department of Labor said a federal court in Washington state issued an injunction preventing the U.S. Postal Service from retaliation against employees. The department said the injunction was part…

The U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals denied review of a railway worker’s challenge to the dismissal of his claim he had been terminated in retaliation for his successful pursuit…

The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking nominations for four positions on the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. The department said it is seeking one public representative, one…

Shipping giant Maersk Line Ltd. agreed to end a policy requiring workers to notify the company of any safety concerns before contacting the Coast Guard, the U.S. Department of Labor announced. Maersk…

Workplace safety regulators in California and Washington state proposed nearly $500,000 in penalties for 10 employers accused of exposing workers to crystalline silica dust. The California Division of Occupational Safety and…

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. 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…

The U.S. Labor Department on Thursday announced that it awarded $12.7 million to 102 nonprofits throughout the country to pay for educational and training initiatives aimed at improving workplace safety. Funds…

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…

Federal workplace safety investigators fined a Massachusetts waterproofing contractor $283,115 for safety violations they say led to a worker's death. Gerceir Osvaldo DeFaria, 51, was killed in February 2024 when part…

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 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 Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a denial of authorization for nerve block treatments for an injured worker. Case: Cooper v. Lowe’s Home Centers Inc., No. 24-ICA-55, 07/30/2024, unpublished. Facts:…

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…

The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a determination that an injured worker was entitled to additional physical therapy for her leg injury. Case: ACNR Resources Inc. v. Goff, No.

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a referral to a neurosurgeon for evaluation of a condition that had not been accepted as compensable in a worker’s claim. Case:…

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…

Colorado’s Pinnacol Assurance urged the state’s employers to be proactive in reviewing and enhancing their vehicle safety protocols, saying heavily traveled roads during summer months increase the risk of accidents. Pinnacol…

A divided Texas appellate court upheld the summary dismissal of a widow’s intentional tort claims arising from her husband’s fatal motor vehicle accident in Oklahoma. Justin Schneider worked for QES Pressure…

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…

The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled that an employer’s optional medical examination is not a reimbursable expense from a worker’s third-party recovery. Case: Brent v. Mississippi Department of Human Services, No. 2022-CT-00529-SCT,…

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 Maryland Appellate Court rejected a dispute over whether an injured worker qualified as a public safety employee due to a lack of jurisdiction. Case: Clifton T. Perkins Hospital v. Frierson, No.

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries fined four roofing companies a combined $1.27 million for allowing people to work on top of homes without fall protection gear. L&I said…

The Washington Court of Appeals upheld the suspension of an injured nurse’s benefits because she refused to participate in a telehealth evaluation requested by her employer. Case: Novalic v. PeaceHealth, No. 58451-4-II, 07/16/2024, unpublished. Facts: Eldina…

The Washington Court of Appeals ruled that a property owner was not entitled to summary judgment dismissing a civil suit brought by an injured employee of a contractor hired to…

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This one-hour session will provide an in-depth look at how SB863 has impacted permanent disability outcomes and costs in the California Workers’ Compensation system.

The Claims Specialist's Start Guide: CA Adjuster Cert Process, Historical Overview, Organizational Structure of WC System, WC Terms and Concepts, Basic Benefits & TD and SJDB Vouchers.

How do you know when to settle a workers’ compensation case? How do you know if you should settle the case, or if you should litigate the case? As…

This six hour course will cover the Burden of Proof on Causation of Disability and includes the ultimate checklist for handling a Guzman rebuttal case.

In a series of hypothetical case studies, this program will reveal the inner workings of the claims handling and litigation process through a didactic dialogue from an attorney's intake of…

This program presents a panel of legal and medical experts discussing required protocols for writing the Causation and Apportionment sections of Medical Legal Reports. Instructors will enable students to clearly…

This course provides essential updates and specific tools for workers' compensation professionals residing in or near San Diego, CA. Instructors will discuss liens, case law updates and the impact SB…

"Work Comp Matters" - the central location for all your workers' compensation, employment and labor law matters. Steve Appell hosts this weekly podcast from sunny southern California - presenting some…

"Work Comp Matters" - the central location for all your workers' compensation, employment and labor law matters. Steve Appell hosts this weekly podcast from sunny southern California - presenting some…

This program focuses on how to use data. Linda Lane will share a strategy that builds a customized network that achieved the "Triple Aim" of workers' compensation - which is…

Settling work comp claims calls for a tricky balance. Payers want to limit the amount of money that is allocated to a Medicare Set-Aside and injured workers worry about running…

Are we doing enough in the workers compensation industry to innovate by incorporating technology and data into our daily business processes? What can we use today to drive innovation and…

Improving Communication in Workers' Compensation…

This week on Work Comp Matters, Steve, Ted, Mike & Guest, Saul Alweiss (Workers Compensation Extraordinaire Attorney), discuss alternative dispute resolution, workers compensation carveouts, dealing with opposing counsel, evaluating evidence,…

The Idaho Supreme Court upheld the summary dismissal of an injured worker’s civil suit against his employer based on his injuries from a piece of farm equipment his employer had…

A New York appellate court ruled that a worker was not entitled to benefits for injuries from an alleged assault by a coworker. Case: Matter of Lebeau v. Meet Caregivers Inc.,…

A New York appellate court ruled that a worker was not entitled to summary judgment on one aspect of his Labor Law claim. Case: Urquia v. Deegan 135 Realty LLC,  No. 22340/19,…

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a finding of compensability for a worker’s back injury. Case: Toyota Motor Manufacturing WV Inc. v. Adkins, No. 24-ICA-181, 10/28/2024, unpublished. Facts: Donnie Adkins worked…

The Oregon Court of Appeals upheld the summary dismissal of a SAIF employee’s claim she that was terminated in retaliation for reporting unlawful conduct.   Case: Cuddigan-Placito v. SAIF, No. 760.

The Appellate Court of Maryland ruled that a jury’s award of temporary total disability benefits was inconsistent with its finding that a worker’s hip condition was not related to her…

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the state could receive up to $122 million from Kroger through a settlement that resolves allegations that the grocery chain failed to oversee the…