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Oct 7, 2026

Two Boxes Checked “No”

LA Second Circuit Affirms Forfeiture for False Answers on Pre-Hire Questionnaires About Prior Work Accidents and a Recommended Surgery Louisiana’s Second Circuit Court of Appeal has affirmed a ruling that...

Two Boxes Checked “No” Two Boxes Checked “No”
Oct 5, 2026

Louisiana Court: Paid a Percentage, Still an Employee

LA Fourth Circuit, 3–2, Holds Dump-Truck Driver Paid 25% of Truck Earnings Was an Employee Despite 1099; Dissent Invokes Manifest-Error Review The Louisiana Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit recently reversed...

Louisiana Court: Paid a Percentage, Still an Employee Louisiana Court: Paid a Percentage, Still an Employee
Sep 29, 2026

Alcohol Falls Outside KY’s Presumption of Causation

KY Supreme Court Holds the Statutory Presumption Against Recovery for Intoxicating Substances Does Not Apply to Alcohol The Kentucky Supreme Court has affirmed benefits for a traffic flagger who was...

Alcohol Falls Outside KY’s Presumption of Causation Alcohol Falls Outside KY’s Presumption of Causation
Sep 28, 2026

The Heart Has Wiring, Too

FL First DCA Holds Harlem’s Narrow “Heart Disease” Definition Does Not Bar a Firefighter’s Arrhythmia Claim Under the Heart-Lung Presumption Florida’s First District Court of Appeal has affirmed an award...

The Heart Has Wiring, Too The Heart Has Wiring, Too

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Nov 16, 2021

Florida’s Second DCA Reverses Itself; Public Utility Was “Contractor” as to its Maintenance Efforts

Following Tampa Electric Company's motion for rehearing regarding its October 20, 2020 decision, in which Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal had held that the public utility company’s obligation to...

Florida’s Second DCA Reverses Itself; Public Utility Was “Contractor” as to its Maintenance Efforts Florida’s Second DCA Reverses Itself; Public Utility Was “Contractor” as to its Maintenance Efforts
Nov 11, 2021

Alaska Supreme Court Says Estate’s Wrongful Death Action is Barred by Exclusivity Even When Comp Benefits are Limited to Burial Expenses

Addressing a difficult factual pattern for the second time, the Supreme Court of Alaska affirmed a trial court’s decision that had granted summary judgment in favor of a general contractor...

Alaska Supreme Court Says Estate’s Wrongful Death Action is Barred by Exclusivity Even When Comp Benefits are Limited to Burial Expenses Alaska Supreme Court Says Estate’s Wrongful Death Action is Barred by Exclusivity Even When Comp Benefits are Limited to Burial Expenses
Nov 9, 2021

Battle of the Forms: NY Board Abuses Discretion in Failing to Reopen Claim

Where there was a clear discrepancy between the schedule loss of use (SLU) percentage indicated on the face of a surgeon’s C-4.3 form (Doctor’s Report of Maximum Medical Improvement/Permanent Impairment)...

Battle of the Forms: NY Board Abuses Discretion in Failing to Reopen Claim Battle of the Forms: NY Board Abuses Discretion in Failing to Reopen Claim
Nov 8, 2021

Utah High Court Hints that Intentional Tort Exception to Exclusivity Might Not Apply to Occupational Disease Claims

Observing that Utah has recognized the intentional tort exception to exclusivity in cases falling under the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act (WCA), but had not (yet) extended the exception to cases...

Utah High Court Hints that Intentional Tort Exception to Exclusivity Might Not Apply to Occupational Disease Claims Utah High Court Hints that Intentional Tort Exception to Exclusivity Might Not Apply to Occupational Disease Claims
Nov 2, 2021

Kentucky High Court Construes Mental Injury Statute and Affirms Award

Acknowledging that pursuant to KRS 342.0011(1), Kentucky does not allow recovery for work-related psychological injuries unless they are the “direct result” of a physical injury [emphasis added], the Supreme Court...

Kentucky High Court Construes Mental Injury Statute and Affirms Award Kentucky High Court Construes Mental Injury Statute and Affirms Award
Nov 1, 2021

Washington Supreme Court Says Staffing Agencies May Sometimes Be Liable for Safety Violations

Addressing an important issue within the modern workplace—whether in a joint employment context, staffing agencies may be liable employers for safety violations under the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act...

Washington Supreme Court Says Staffing Agencies May Sometimes Be Liable for Safety Violations Washington Supreme Court Says Staffing Agencies May Sometimes Be Liable for Safety Violations
Oct 27, 2021

Going and Coming Rule Bars Recovery in Texas Plaintiff’s Vicarious Liability Action

Citing precedent from the Supreme Court of Texas, a lower appellate court held that the going and coming rule—a creature of the workers’ compensation setting—could be applied in plaintiff’s vicarious-liability...

Going and Coming Rule Bars Recovery in Texas Plaintiff’s Vicarious Liability Action Going and Coming Rule Bars Recovery in Texas Plaintiff’s Vicarious Liability Action
Oct 25, 2021

UIM Insurer May Offset IL Employee’s Comp Benefits Against Policy Obligation

In a decision not designated for publication, an Illinois appellate court held that a trial court did not err in granting judgment on the pleadings favoring an auto insurance company...

UIM Insurer May Offset IL Employee’s Comp Benefits Against Policy Obligation UIM Insurer May Offset IL Employee’s Comp Benefits Against Policy Obligation
Oct 22, 2021

Ohio Supreme Court Reiterates Commission’s Power to Reject Settlements in VSSR cases

The Supreme Court of Ohio, affirming a decision of a lower state appellate court, held that the Ohio Industrial Commission had properly rejected a proposed settlement related to an employer’s...

Ohio Supreme Court Reiterates Commission’s Power to Reject Settlements in VSSR cases Ohio Supreme Court Reiterates Commission’s Power to Reject Settlements in VSSR cases
Oct 21, 2021

CT Court Affirms Death Benefits Award Following Suicide

The Appellate Court of Connecticut affirmed an award of death benefits to the spouse of an employee who committed suicide following a work-related knee injury, finding that substantial evidence supported...

CT Court Affirms Death Benefits Award Following Suicide CT Court Affirms Death Benefits Award Following Suicide
Oct 19, 2021

Subrogated Georgia Insurer Has No Fiduciary Duty to Protect Injured Employee’s Interests

OCGA § 34-9-11.1, Georgia’s statute that gives the insurer (or employer) the right to “assert the employee’s cause of action in tort” against a third party or parties if the...

Subrogated Georgia Insurer Has No Fiduciary Duty to Protect Injured Employee’s Interests Subrogated Georgia Insurer Has No Fiduciary Duty to Protect Injured Employee’s Interests
Oct 18, 2021

MN Supreme Court Says No to Mandatory Reimbursement for Medical Marijuana

In two companion decisions, a divided Supreme Court of Minnesota held that the state’s Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals (WCCA) lacks jurisdiction to decide whether federal law preempts Minnesota law...

MN Supreme Court Says No to Mandatory Reimbursement for Medical Marijuana MN Supreme Court Says No to Mandatory Reimbursement for Medical Marijuana

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