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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
Sep 24, 2026

“Closed” Under Old Rules, Reprocessed Under New

Oregon Court Applies New Claim-Closure Requirements to Case Pending on Judicial Review The Oregon Court of Appeals has held that 2022 amendments limiting retroactive “medically stationary” determinations apply to a...

“Closed” Under Old Rules, Reprocessed Under New “Closed” Under Old Rules, Reprocessed Under New

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Jun 20, 2017

Kentucky IME May Use Clinical Skill and Judgment in Construing AMA Guides

Where an independent medical evaluator concluded that the active range of motion (ROM) measurements she obtained from an injured worker were implausible, indicative of poor effort, and insufficient to verify...

Kentucky IME May Use Clinical Skill and Judgment in Construing AMA Guides Kentucky IME May Use Clinical Skill and Judgment in Construing AMA Guides
Jun 19, 2017

Ouch!: Live-in New York Domestic Worker’s Cut Finger Results in $86,000 Penalty To Employing Husband and Wife

In Matter of Castillo v Brown, 2017 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 4839 (June 15, 2017), a New York appellate court affirmed the imposition of an $86,000 penalty against a husband and...

Ouch!: Live-in New York Domestic Worker’s Cut Finger Results in $86,000 Penalty To Employing Husband and Wife Ouch!: Live-in New York Domestic Worker’s Cut Finger Results in $86,000 Penalty To Employing Husband and Wife
Jun 14, 2017

New York Church Volunteer’s Personal Injury Action Barred by Exclusive Remedy Rule

A church volunteer, who contended that she suffered injuries when she tripped and fell over an exposed power cord near or on the altar as she went to help distribute...

New York Church Volunteer’s Personal Injury Action Barred by Exclusive Remedy Rule New York Church Volunteer’s Personal Injury Action Barred by Exclusive Remedy Rule
Jun 12, 2017

West Virginia Statute Barring Comp Benefits for Many—But Not All—Work Release Inmates is Constitutional

A provision in the West Virginia Workers’ Compensation Act [W. Va. Code § 23–4–1e(b)] that prohibits an inmate housed at a state work release center from receiving workers’ compensation benefits...

West Virginia Statute Barring Comp Benefits for Many—But Not All—Work Release Inmates is Constitutional West Virginia Statute Barring Comp Benefits for Many—But Not All—Work Release Inmates is Constitutional
Jun 9, 2017

Those Holding Their Breath for Arkansas Opt Out Legislation Can Exhale

I should have noted this earlier, but anyone still holding his or her breath as to whether Arkansas might pass workers’ compensation opt out legislation during the Legislature’s 2017 session...

Those Holding Their Breath for Arkansas Opt Out Legislation Can Exhale Those Holding Their Breath for Arkansas Opt Out Legislation Can Exhale
Jun 9, 2017

PA Employer Establishes Worker’s Loss of Earnings Claim by Creating Special Job That Paid Less

Where a workers’ compensation benefits claimant initially returned to work in a modified-duty position at no loss of wages and subsequently accepted a permanent light-duty position that the employer had...

PA Employer Establishes Worker’s Loss of Earnings Claim by Creating Special Job That Paid Less PA Employer Establishes Worker’s Loss of Earnings Claim by Creating Special Job That Paid Less
Jun 7, 2017

Colorado Court Apportions Two-Thirds of Occupational Disease Claim to Overweight Mechanic

Has the State Established New Weight-Loss Program for Workers? Emphasizing that within the Colorado workers’ compensation scheme, the employer does not necessarily take the employee as it finds him (or...

Colorado Court Apportions Two-Thirds of Occupational Disease Claim to Overweight Mechanic Colorado Court Apportions Two-Thirds of Occupational Disease Claim to Overweight Mechanic
May 31, 2017

Death of Mississippi Worker Does Not Negate Settlement Agreement

In a split decision, a Mississippi appellate court reversed an order of the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission that had granted an employer’s motion to reopen and vacate a prior order...

Death of Mississippi Worker Does Not Negate Settlement Agreement Death of Mississippi Worker Does Not Negate Settlement Agreement
May 30, 2017

The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts: Not in New York Amputation Case

Award for Loss of Four Fingers and Thumb Exceeds That of Entire Hand In a divided decision, a New York appellate court affirmed an amended decision of the state’s Workers’...

The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts: Not in New York Amputation Case The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts: Not in New York Amputation Case
Apr 26, 2017

Arizona Social Worker Employed At Prison May Not Sue State for Slip and Fall Injuries

Where the State of Arizona, through its Department of Corrections, had an ongoing duty to insure that inmates received adequate health services and it contracted with an employment services provider...

Arizona Social Worker Employed At Prison May Not Sue State for Slip and Fall Injuries Arizona Social Worker Employed At Prison May Not Sue State for Slip and Fall Injuries
Apr 25, 2017

Disagreement Does Not Equal Clear and Convincing Evidence That Tennessee MIR Physician’s Opinion was Wrong

Where the opinion offered by an employee’s medical expert merely disagreed with the medical impairment registry (MIR) physician’s findings, yet did not show how that the MIR physician had used...

Disagreement Does Not Equal Clear and Convincing Evidence That Tennessee MIR Physician’s Opinion was Wrong Disagreement Does Not Equal Clear and Convincing Evidence That Tennessee MIR Physician’s Opinion was Wrong
Apr 24, 2017

New Jersey Has Jurisdiction to Hear Claim for Out-of-State Injury Where Employment Contract Completed Within the State

Where a New Jersey resident filed an online application for employment with a New York furniture company, received a phone call at his home to arrange an interview at the...

New Jersey Has Jurisdiction to Hear Claim for Out-of-State Injury Where Employment Contract Completed Within the State New Jersey Has Jurisdiction to Hear Claim for Out-of-State Injury Where Employment Contract Completed Within the State

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