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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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May 31, 2018

PA High Court Says No Subrogation Allowed Regarding Heart and Lung Benefits

Strong Subrogation Rights Exist Only as to Payments Made under WCA Acknowledging that an employer/carrier’s outlay of workers’ compensation benefits entitles it to a subrogation lien on any recovery the...

PA High Court Says No Subrogation Allowed Regarding Heart and Lung Benefits PA High Court Says No Subrogation Allowed Regarding Heart and Lung Benefits
May 30, 2018

NY Construction Worker’s Fatal Heart Attack Found Compensable

Death Benefits Awarded in Spite of Smoking Habit and High Cholesterol A decision by New York’s Workers’ Compensation Board, which concluded that a construction worker’s death was causally-related to his...

NY Construction Worker’s Fatal Heart Attack Found Compensable NY Construction Worker’s Fatal Heart Attack Found Compensable
May 30, 2018

Vermont “Volunteer” Driver for Transit Authority is not an Employee

Driver’s Mileage Reimbursement Did not Constitute “Wages” Reimbursement for mileage driven at rates established by the Internal Revenue Service is not “wages” as defined by Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 21,...

Vermont “Volunteer” Driver for Transit Authority is not an Employee Vermont “Volunteer” Driver for Transit Authority is not an Employee
May 24, 2018

Maryland High Court Says Bus Driver’s Accident Traveling to Training Session May Have Been “Special Mission”

Claim Not Barred, as a Matter of Law, by Going and Coming Rule A county bus driver, who sustained injuries in an auto accident as she traveled to attend a...

Maryland High Court Says Bus Driver’s Accident Traveling to Training Session May Have Been “Special Mission” Maryland High Court Says Bus Driver’s Accident Traveling to Training Session May Have Been “Special Mission”
May 17, 2018

NC Employee’s Injuries From Fainting After Toking on E-Cigarette Did Not Arise From the Employment

The North Carolina Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of workers’ compensation benefits to a city employee who sustained serious injuries to his right hip, back, and head when he...

NC Employee’s Injuries From Fainting After Toking on E-Cigarette Did Not Arise From the Employment NC Employee’s Injuries From Fainting After Toking on E-Cigarette Did Not Arise From the Employment
May 15, 2018

Alaska’s High Court Upholds Total Bar of Recovery for Non-Dependent Parents of Deceased Employees

Parent Faces “Catch-22”: Wrongful Death Claim Barred by Exclusivity, Yet No Workers’ Comp Benefits Available The Supreme Court of Alaska, in Burke v. Raven Elec., 2018 Alas. LEXIS 64 (May...

Alaska’s High Court Upholds Total Bar of Recovery for Non-Dependent Parents of Deceased Employees Alaska’s High Court Upholds Total Bar of Recovery for Non-Dependent Parents of Deceased Employees
May 14, 2018

Divided OK Supreme Court Reverses Denial of Claim Involving Travel to Work Site

In a divided decision, the Supreme Court of Oklahoma reversed a lower court’s finding and held that a pipeline installation worker’s injuries sustained in a vehicular accident while traveling to...

Divided OK Supreme Court Reverses Denial of Claim Involving Travel to Work Site Divided OK Supreme Court Reverses Denial of Claim Involving Travel to Work Site
May 11, 2018

Montana: Both Parties to Employee Leasing Arrangement Enjoy Exclusive Remedy of State’s Workers’ Compensation Act

Constitutional Provision Protecting Only “Immediate” Employers Does Not Limit Immunity In a decision that has important implications for Montana firms that utilize professional employer organizations (“PEOs”) for their labor forces,...

Montana: Both Parties to Employee Leasing Arrangement Enjoy Exclusive Remedy of State’s Workers’ Compensation Act Montana: Both Parties to Employee Leasing Arrangement Enjoy Exclusive Remedy of State’s Workers’ Compensation Act
May 2, 2018

California High Court Narrows Rule For Classification of Workers as Independent Contractors

CA Employers: Stock Up on Your W-2s; Recycle Your 1099s In a decision that continues California’s trend toward allowing the designation of a worker as an independent contractor only under...

California High Court Narrows Rule For Classification of Workers as Independent Contractors California High Court Narrows Rule For Classification of Workers as Independent Contractors
Apr 30, 2018

Ohio Auto Insurers: Beware of Nascent Workers Comp Claims

High Court Says BWC Has Subrogation Interest in Spite of Denial of Claim In a decision that should impact settlement procedures in virtually all personal injury cases within the state...

Ohio Auto Insurers: Beware of Nascent Workers Comp Claims Ohio Auto Insurers: Beware of Nascent Workers Comp Claims
Apr 19, 2018

NC Court Approves Medical Claim for Non-FDA-Approved Compound Cream

A North Carolina appellate court recently held that non-FDA-approved drugs could not be categorically excluded from medical compensation under the state’s workers’ compensation system [Davis v. Craven County ABC Bd.,...

NC Court Approves Medical Claim for Non-FDA-Approved Compound Cream NC Court Approves Medical Claim for Non-FDA-Approved Compound Cream
Apr 18, 2018

PA Court Nixes Chiropractor’s Separate Charges for “Office Visits” in Connection with Treatments

A Pennsylvania appellate court has concluded that an examination involving no new medical condition, change in medical condition, or other circumstances that require an examination and assessment above and beyond...

PA Court Nixes Chiropractor’s Separate Charges for “Office Visits” in Connection with Treatments PA Court Nixes Chiropractor’s Separate Charges for “Office Visits” in Connection with Treatments

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