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Court Upholds Denial of Worker's Request to Reopen Claim, Receive Additional Treatment

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals ruled that a worker was not entitled to reopen his claim or to receive additional benefits even though he received treatments and expanded the…




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Court: Son of Sam Law Allows State to Take Murderer's Comp Settlement

A New York appeals court said a law created nearly 50 years ago to ensure serial killer David Berkowitz couldn't profit from his murder spree supersedes work comp law and…




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Court Says Damages Award Inadequate

A New York appellate court overturned an award of damages after a defendant’s default in a Labor Law case, finding the award inadequate. Case: Sharif v. Pritam Property Inc., Nos. 2021-09103…




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Supreme Court Upholds Denial of Worker's Request for Additional PPD

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the denial of a worker’s request for additional permanent partial disability benefits for her broken leg. Case: Gajdos v. Appalachian Electronic Instruments Inc., No. 23-720,…




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Court Upholds Denial of School Employee's Wrist Injury Claim

The Oregon Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a school district employee’s claim of injury to her wrist. Krista Wilson worked for the Saint Helens School District as a special…




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Supreme Court Decides: How Will Medicaid Impact Your Client's Case?

Find out how this Supreme Court Decision may impact your client's cases. Plaintiff attorneys need to know and understand how this decision could impact clients' settlement dollars. Defense attorneys need…




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High Court Clarifies Date Worker Became Entitled to Specific-Loss Benefits for Eye Injury

In a case of first impression, Maine’s highest court ruled that a worker was entitled to an award of specific-loss benefits for the loss of vision in his eye on…




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Court Rejects Untimely Appeal From Dismissal of Negligence Claim Against Doctor

The Tennessee Court of Appeals said a series of post-order motions filed by a self-represented injured worker didn’t extend the statute of limitations, so the appeal of the order dismissing…




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Supreme Court Issues Writ Directing Dismissal of Contract, Bad-Faith Claims Against Carrier

The Alabama Supreme Court issued a writ of mandamus compelling a trial court to dismiss the breach-of-contract and bad-faith claims against an insurance carrier arising out of a roofing worker’s…




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Split Supreme Court Upholds Dismissal of Worker's Retaliatory Termination Claim

The Alabama Supreme Court summarily denied a worker’s challenge to the dismissal of her retaliatory termination claim over the dissent of a justice who argued that the court should have…




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Supreme Court Overturns $3 Million Judgment for Worker's Death

The Alabama Supreme Court overturned a $3 million judgment in a wrongful death case, finding that a worker’s failure to realize a safety device was missing from a machine was…




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Court Voids Award to Worker for Burn Injury, Vacates Award on Wage Claim

The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals ruled that a circuit court lacked jurisdiction over a worker’s claim for compensation for a work-related injury and that an individual member of the…




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Court Denies Widower Benefits for Nursing Home Worker's Death

The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals upheld the denial of a widower’s claim for benefits for a nursing home worker’s death after her COVID-19 infection. Rose Harrison worked for the Marion Regional…




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Court Upholds Award of PTD Benefits for Former Walmart Worker

The Utah Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a former Walmart’s worker’s claim for permanent total disability benefits. Darlene Rouse worked for Walmart. She had physical limitations related to a…




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Court Clarifies Standard for Compensability of Injuries From Idiopathic Falls

The Utah Court of Appeals ruled that a worker can receive benefits for injuries she sustained from an idiopathic fall while she was working — if the injuries were made more…




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Court Overturns Finding That Worker Timely Reported Injury

The Utah Court of Appeals ruled that the Labor Commission’s Appeals Board erred in finding a worker’s claim timely even though he did not report his accident to his employer within…




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High Court Denies Additional Treatment, Benefits for Injured Field Engineer

The Wyoming Supreme Court upheld the denial of additional treatment and benefits to a field engineer for her left foot and ankle complaints. Case: Zheng v. Wyoming, No. S-23-0277, 07/19/2024, published. Facts…




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High Court Finds Worker's Heart Attack Wasn't Product of Unusual Stress

The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that a man's heart attack on his third day of work was not due to clearly unusual or abnormal employment stress for those in his…




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Court Has Jurisdiction Over Worker's Tort Suit for Sexual Assault

The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled that the Industrial Commission did not have exclusive jurisdiction over a worker’s injury claim based on alleged sexual assault by a work-release inmate…




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Court Upholds Calculation of Pipe Fitter's AWW

The North Carolina Court of Appeals upheld the calculation of a union pipe fitter’s average weekly wage from a project where he was injured. Merck Pharmaceutical contracted with Jacobs Project Management…




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Court Says Injured Worker Not Entitled to Participate in Vocational Rehab

An Ohio appellate court upheld a denial of an injured worker’s request to participate in vocational rehabilitation. Case: State ex rel. Saia v. Industrial Commission, No.  22AP-667, 06/11/2024, published. Facts and procedural…




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Court Overturns VSSR Award for Worker With Chemical Burns

An Ohio appellate court issued a limited writ of mandamus overturning an enhanced award of benefits against a borrowing employer for a worker’s chemical burns. Case: State ex rel. Liberty Steel…




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Court Upholds Dismissal of Day Care Worker's Claims for Discrimination, Retaliation

An Ohio appellate court upheld the summary dismissal of a day care worker’s claims for disability discrimination, workers’ compensation retaliation and negligence. Case: Long v. KeltanBW Inc., No. 112919, 06/20/2024, published. Facts:…




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Court Upholds Summary Dismissal of Worker's Intentional Tort Claim Against Employer

An Ohio appellate court upheld the summary dismissal of a worker’s intentional tort claim accusing his employer of allegedly causing his accident by removing the safety feet from the ladder…




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Split Court Rejects Magistrate's Recommendation, Issues Writ Vacating Denial of PTD Award

A divided Ohio appellate court rejected the recommendation of a magistrate and issued a writ of mandate compelling the Industrial Commission to overturn its denial of an injured worker’s claim…




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Court Clarifies Extent to Which Partial Amputation Results in Total Loss

An Ohio appellate court ruled that if a worker’s injury results in the severance of some part of the proximal phalanx, the injury must be treated as a loss of…




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Split Court Issues Writ for Worker to Receive VSSR Award for Trench Accident

An Ohio appellate court ruled that a worker should have been granted an enhanced award of benefits for his employer’s violation of a specific safety requirement for shoring trenches. Curtis Berry…




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Court Didn't Abuse Discretion in Denying Sanctions Without Hearing

A trial court did not abuse its discretion by denying a post-dismissal motion for sanctions without first holding a hearing, an Ohio appellate court ruled. Michael Shields worked as a mechanic…




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Court Rejects Employer's Challenge to Loss-of-Use Award

An Ohio appellate court rejected an employer’s challenge to a loss-of-use award to a worker who underwent a partial surgical amputation of his foot. Case: State ex rel. Randstad North America…




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High Court Remands AOE Determination for Unobserved Fall

The Ohio Supreme Court said a trial court used the wrong standard to determine that a worker’s unobserved fall arose out of employment and remanded the case for additional proceedings. The…




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Supreme Court Says TTD Award Not Immediately Appealable

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that an administrative law judge’s order awarding temporary total disability benefits to an injured worker was interlocutory and not appealable. Case: Spencer County Fiscal Court v.




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Supreme Court Affirms Dismissal of Claim for Additional TTD as Time-Barred

The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a worker’s challenge to the termination of her temporary total disability benefits as time-bared. Case: Arndt v. Jefferson County Public Schools, No. 2023-SC-0377-WC,…




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Court Upholds Denial of Benefits for Cumulative Trauma Claim

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s claim for multiple injuries from two alleged on-the-job falls and cumulative trauma. Case: Hardin v. Ford Motor Co., No. 2023-CA-1250-WC,…




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Supreme Court Upholds Award for Worker With Back Injury, Psychological Condition

The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld an award of benefits for a worker for a back injury with psychological overlay. Case: Laboratory Corporation of America v. Smith, No. 2023-SC-0479-WC, 08/22/2024, published. Facts: Hunter…




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Court Upholds Award for Worker With Cumulative Trauma Back Injury

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld an award of benefits for a worker with a cumulative trauma back injury. Case: Martin Marietta Materials Inc. v. Stamper, No. 2024-CA-0727-WC, 08/23/2024, unpublished. Facts: James Stamper…




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Court Remands Worker's PTD Claim for Fourth Time

The Kentucky Court of Appeals remanded a worker’s claim for permanent total disability benefits to an administrative law judge for the fourth time because of deficiencies in the causation analysis. Case:…




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Court Upholds Calculation of Worker's AWW, Denial of Statutory Multiplier

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the calculation of an injured worker’s average weekly wage and a determination that her award was not subject to a multiplier. Case: Burks v. United…




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Court Upholds Denial of Coverage for Worker's Opioid Medication

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the denial of coverage for a worker’s opioid medication. Case: Howell v. Floyd County Board of Education, No. 2024-CA-0122-WC, 10/18/2024, unpublished. Facts and procedural history: Judy…




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Supreme Court Says Traveling Worker Suffered Compensable Fall While Souvenir Shopping

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that a traveling worker was entitled to benefits for her injuries from a fall while leaving her hotel to go souvenir shopping. Kimminee Costello worked for…




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Split Supreme Court Awards PTD Benefits to Worker for Electric Shock Injuries

A divided South Dakota Supreme Court ruled that a worker was entitled to permanent total disability benefits for his electric shock injuries, finding he developed both a cardiac condition and…




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Court Orders DLI to Decide Reasonableness of Worker's Refusal to Attend Appointment

The Montana Workers’ Compensation Court ruled that the Department of Labor & Industry needed to make a finding as to the reasonableness of a worker’s refusal to attend a therapy…




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Court Overturns Denial of Employer's Motion for Costs as Partially Prevailing Party

A Florida appellate court overturned a judge’s decision denying an employer’s motion for costs as a prevailing party on a worker’s claim. Frances Smith worked for the Palm Beach County School…




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Federal Court Upholds Conviction for Pharmacy Kickback Scheme, Overturns Restitution Order

A federal appellate court upheld a defendant’s conviction for a long-running and lucrative kickback scheme but overturned the restitution order that had been imposed. Case: U.S. v. Young, Nos. 20-13091 and…




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CFO Asks Court to Revisit Definition of Heart Disease for Presumptive Claims

Florida's Chief Financial Officer is asking the state's 1st District Court of Appeal to revisit its definition of heart disease under a 2023 decision dealing with presumptive claims by first…




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Court Upholds Worker's Entitlement to Further Medical Care

An Arizona appellate court upheld a determination that a worker was entitled to additional treatment as he had not reached a medically stationary state. Case: Tenet Health System Medical v. Industrial…




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Court Upholds Denial of Worker's Request to Reopen Car Accident Claim

The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s request to reopen his claim arising out of a car accident. Case: Parr v. Industrial Commission, No. 1 CA-IC 23-0018,…




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Court Upholds Dismissal of Municipal Employee's Tort Suit Against Employer

A Louisiana appellate court upheld the summary dismissal of a municipal employee’s suit against her employer for her injuries from a fall allegedly caused by the city’s negligence in maintaining…




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Court Holds Guaranty Association Liable for Worker's Mesothelioma Benefits

A Louisiana appellate court ruled that the state insurance guaranty association was liable for covering the obligations of two insolvent insurance carriers for a worker’s mesothelioma. Case: Ehlers v. Ports America…




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Court Upholds Award for Carpal Tunnel, Denies Employer's Request to Take Offset

A Louisiana appellate court upheld an award of benefits for a worker with carpal tunnel syndrome and ruled that his employer was not entitled to an offset against its liability. Case: Caldwell…




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Federal Court Finds Worker Doesn't Qualify as Jones Act Seaman

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker did not qualify as a Jones Act seaman. Case: Edwards v. InterMoor Inc., No. 23-30727, 08/29/2024, unpublished. Facts: Lawrence…