Newest Articles

Mar 10, 2026

Second Circuit Bars Medical Marijuana Reimbursement Under the Longshore Act

In Garcia v. Director, Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, 2026 U.S. App. LEXIS 6549 (2d Cir. Mar. 5, 2026), the Second Circuit denied a petition for review filed by a...

Second Circuit Bars Medical Marijuana Reimbursement Under the Longshore Act Second Circuit Bars Medical Marijuana Reimbursement Under the Longshore Act
Mar 6, 2026

New York’s Hidden Cost Problem: WCRI Examines the Price of Delivering Benefits

Every dollar spent on workers’ compensation falls into one of two broad categories: benefits paid to injured workers—medical care and wage replacement—and the costs of delivering those benefits. The second...

New York’s Hidden Cost Problem: WCRI Examines the Price of Delivering Benefits New York’s Hidden Cost Problem: WCRI Examines the Price of Delivering Benefits
Mar 5, 2026

Delaware Supreme Court Reinstates IAB’s Denial of Sole Proprietor Coverage

In Motors v. Bayly (Red House Motors d/b/a Bayly’s Garage), 2026 Del. LEXIS 92 (Mar. 2, 2026), the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a Superior Court decision that the high court...

Delaware Supreme Court Reinstates IAB’s Denial of Sole Proprietor Coverage Delaware Supreme Court Reinstates IAB’s Denial of Sole Proprietor Coverage
Mar 3, 2026

Florida Court Invalidates Rules Expanding “Absolute Choice” Pharmacy Provision

In Publix Super Markets, Inc. v. Department of Financial Services, 2026 Fla. App. LEXIS 1469 (Fla. 1st DCA Feb. 25, 2026), the First District Court of Appeal recently held that...

Florida Court Invalidates Rules Expanding “Absolute Choice” Pharmacy Provision Florida Court Invalidates Rules Expanding “Absolute Choice” Pharmacy Provision

All Articles

ARCHIVE
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
Jan 3, 2022

NY Board Abused Discretion in Failing to Allow Carrier’s Review Application

In a claim tangental to a highly-publicized 2019 indictment for alleged workers’ compensation fraud, a New York appellate court held that the state’s Workers’ Compensation Board abused its discretion when...

NY Board Abused Discretion in Failing to Allow Carrier’s Review Application NY Board Abused Discretion in Failing to Allow Carrier’s Review Application
Dec 29, 2021

NY Firefighter Successfully Proved PTSD Claim Based Upon Multiple Gruesome Incidents

Noting that a medical opinion need not be expressed with absolute medical certainty as long as it signified a probability of the underlying cause that was supported by a rational...

NY Firefighter Successfully Proved PTSD Claim Based Upon Multiple Gruesome Incidents NY Firefighter Successfully Proved PTSD Claim Based Upon Multiple Gruesome Incidents
Dec 27, 2021

PA Supreme Court “Corrects” Long-Standing Rule Regarding Award of Attorney’s Fees Against Employer Who Reasonably Contests Issues

In a decision that is turning heads in the Keystone State, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, stressing the importance differences between two words—“shall” and “may”—reversed a decision by the state’s...

PA Supreme Court “Corrects” Long-Standing Rule Regarding Award of Attorney’s Fees Against Employer Who Reasonably Contests Issues PA Supreme Court “Corrects” Long-Standing Rule Regarding Award of Attorney’s Fees Against Employer Who Reasonably Contests Issues
Dec 24, 2021

California Comp Act Does Not Bar COVID-19 Wrongful Death Claim

In an important decision that is certain to garner attention well beyond California’s borders, a California appellate court denied a petition for writ of mandate filed by an employer who...

California Comp Act Does Not Bar COVID-19 Wrongful Death Claim California Comp Act Does Not Bar COVID-19 Wrongful Death Claim
Dec 21, 2021

IL Supreme Court Sidesteps Important Issue on Technical Grounds

Dodging an issue that had spawned multiple amicus curiae briefs regarding an interesting (and important) question—whether an employee’s representation in a workers’ compensation settlement agreement that he had only suffered...

IL Supreme Court Sidesteps Important Issue on Technical Grounds IL Supreme Court Sidesteps Important Issue on Technical Grounds
Dec 16, 2021

Iowa Court Affirms Denial of Death Benefits in Suicide Case

An Iowa appellate court affirmed a district court’s decision affirming the denial of death benefits to a widow whose husband committed suicide mere hours after he had been terminated from...

Iowa Court Affirms Denial of Death Benefits in Suicide Case Iowa Court Affirms Denial of Death Benefits in Suicide Case
Dec 14, 2021

Federal Court Dismisses Racially-Based IIED Suit Filed Against Co-Employee

A federal district court, construing Missouri law, dismissed a civil action filed by one employee against another alleging negligent infliction of emotional distress (“NIED”) and intentional infliction of emotional distress...

Federal Court Dismisses Racially-Based IIED Suit Filed Against Co-Employee Federal Court Dismisses Racially-Based IIED Suit Filed Against Co-Employee
Dec 13, 2021

Arkansas Court Affirms Revocation of Pharmacy License in Pain Cream Cases

A divided division of the Arkansas Court of Appeals has affirmed a decision by the state’s Board of Pharmacy that revoked the permit and license of a pharmacy and an...

Arkansas Court Affirms Revocation of Pharmacy License in Pain Cream Cases Arkansas Court Affirms Revocation of Pharmacy License in Pain Cream Cases
Dec 10, 2021

SC Appellate Court Chides Commission for Summarily Dismissing Appeal

In a stinging decision, the Court of Appeals of South Carolina ruled that the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission had abused its discretion in summarily dismissing the appeal by an insurance...

SC Appellate Court Chides Commission for Summarily Dismissing Appeal SC Appellate Court Chides Commission for Summarily Dismissing Appeal
Dec 9, 2021

For Limitations Purposes, a NC Death Claim Cannot Piggy-Back Onto Deceased Employee’s Original Filing

A divided panel of the North Carolina Court of Appeals recently affirmed a decision by the state’s Industrial Commission that had found it lacked jurisdiction to hear a widow’s death...

For Limitations Purposes, a NC Death Claim Cannot Piggy-Back Onto Deceased Employee’s Original Filing For Limitations Purposes, a NC Death Claim Cannot Piggy-Back Onto Deceased Employee’s Original Filing
Dec 7, 2021

PA Police Officer Awarded Benefits for PTSD After “No-Holds-Barred” Meeting

In an unreported opinion, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania affirmed an award of total disability benefits to former police officer for a psychological injury in the form of PTDS, depression,...

PA Police Officer Awarded Benefits for PTSD After “No-Holds-Barred” Meeting PA Police Officer Awarded Benefits for PTSD After “No-Holds-Barred” Meeting
Dec 6, 2021

Oregon Software Worker Fails to Establish Mental Disorder Claim

Illustrating the substantial barrier that many Oregon claimants contend has been erected via the combination of the state’s “clear and convincing evidence” standard and its “major contributing cause” requirement [see...

Oregon Software Worker Fails to Establish Mental Disorder Claim Oregon Software Worker Fails to Establish Mental Disorder Claim

New Comments

  • ramivou: They hid behind a flawed "reading" of this statute for a decade. I am glad the SC finally put an end to the misconception that it was a "first six months only" filing requirement, rather than an ongoing responsibility.
  • trob: Thanks for the query. New York's going and coming doctrine is similar to that in place in the majority of jurisdictions. That is to say that for employees with a fixed place of work and who are on a relatively consistent work schedule, the commute to and from the residence is outside the course and scope of the employment. Often overlooked is the fact that the employee must generally have a fixed ...
  • ramivou: Is coming and going covered in NY?
  • trob: Excellent question. My thought is that the employer was following what it assumed was the typical practice of seeking to protect its "subrogation" interest in state court; in virtually all jurisdictions, the state trial courts are where subrogation issues are litigated. What differed here, of course, was that it wasn't a standard subrogation case, i.e., the employee's work-related injury wasn't ca...
  • ramivou: Why didn't they file it with the state Commission instead?
  • Thomas A. Robinson: I suspect that ACME could seek contractual indemnity, as you note, either from the staffing agency or its carrier. The goal of the Board or agency generally is to see to the proper award of benefits for compensable injuries. Allowing the "aggrieved" parties to sort it out later is completely consistent with the overall theory of workers' compensation. Many thanks for the comment. Best wishes.
  • Barry Stinson: I wonder if Acme's insurer could seek contractural indemnity from Variety's insurer outside of the WC system.
  • Michael C. Duff: The conceptual distinction is between joint causation and presumptive single causation.
  • Thomas A. Robinson: Sorry, I don't/can't provide legal advice. Best wishes, however.
  • Ken Smith: What can I do when my attorney blows my case with an incomplete RB89