Category: Case comment

Jan 12, 2021

Kansas Supreme Court Says Use of 6th Edition of AMA Guides is Constitutional

In a much anticipated decision, the Supreme Court of Kansas reversed an August 2018 decision of the state's Court of Appeals that had struck down as unconstitutional the use of...

Kansas Supreme Court Says Use of 6th Edition of AMA Guides is Constitutional Kansas Supreme Court Says Use of 6th Edition of AMA Guides is Constitutional
Jan 11, 2021

The Top 10 Bizarre Workers’ Comp Cases for 2020

As I have noted many times on this blog site and elsewhere, more than 30 years ago my mentor, Dr. Arthur Larson, and I began a quirky—though humorous—New Year’s tradition....

The Top 10 Bizarre Workers’ Comp Cases for 2020 The Top 10 Bizarre Workers’ Comp Cases for 2020
Jan 7, 2021

Sunday Doesn’t Count for PA’s 120-day Notice to Employer Even if It’s Open for Business

The 120-day period for providing notice of injury to the employer found in Section 311 of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act [77 P.S. §631] is, as are all time frames...

Sunday Doesn’t Count for PA’s 120-day Notice to Employer Even if It’s Open for Business Sunday Doesn’t Count for PA’s 120-day Notice to Employer Even if It’s Open for Business
Jan 4, 2021

NV High Court Reiterates That Undocumented Workers May Recover Indemnity Benefits

The Supreme Court of Nevada reiterated that the state’s workers’ compensation statutes clearly and unambiguously protected every person in the service of an employer, whether lawfully or unlawfully employed, including...

NV High Court Reiterates That Undocumented Workers May Recover Indemnity Benefits NV High Court Reiterates That Undocumented Workers May Recover Indemnity Benefits
Dec 23, 2020

Deceased Employee’s Heirs May Not Maintain Tort Action Against Mississippi Employer Following Training Exercise Shooting

Evidence that a highly trained firearms instructor failed to observe known safety rules, resulting in the fatal shooting of a co-employee in a training exercise, while tragic, was not enough...

Deceased Employee’s Heirs May Not Maintain Tort Action Against Mississippi Employer Following Training Exercise Shooting Deceased Employee’s Heirs May Not Maintain Tort Action Against Mississippi Employer Following Training Exercise Shooting
Dec 21, 2020

Opinion Mondays: States Shouldn’t Treat PTD Awards as Estate Planning Tools

Iowa Commutation Order Allows for Substantial Inheritable Estate Illustrating just how far some states have moved away from the original workers’ compensation principle that indemnity benefits are not an inheritable...

Opinion Mondays: States Shouldn’t Treat PTD Awards as Estate Planning Tools Opinion Mondays: States Shouldn’t Treat PTD Awards as Estate Planning Tools
Dec 18, 2020

NY Claimant Should Be Awarded Scheduled Injury to Leg for Serious Hamstring Tear

Reversing a decision by the state’s Workers’ Compensation Board, a New York appellate court held that, contrary to the Board’s interpretation, in the absence of specific instructions regarding hamstring tears...

NY Claimant Should Be Awarded Scheduled Injury to Leg for Serious Hamstring Tear NY Claimant Should Be Awarded Scheduled Injury to Leg for Serious Hamstring Tear
Dec 17, 2020

Florida First Responder’s PTSD Claim is Untimely Filed

A Florida appellate court held the 52-week filing requirement found in § 112.1815(5)(d), Fla. Stat., operated as a statute of repose, and not as a statute of limitations. Under the...

Florida First Responder’s PTSD Claim is Untimely Filed Florida First Responder’s PTSD Claim is Untimely Filed
Dec 14, 2020

Opinion Mondays: Those Hiring Undocumented Workers Should Not be Allowed to Game the System

In a deeply divided (3-2) decision, a New York appellate court reversed a decision by the state's Workers' Compensation Compensation Board that had found an injured, undocumented construction worker had...

Opinion Mondays: Those Hiring Undocumented Workers Should Not be Allowed to Game the System Opinion Mondays: Those Hiring Undocumented Workers Should Not be Allowed to Game the System
Dec 11, 2020

NY Pharmacist May Proceed in Tort Against Entity Affiliated With His Employer

Finding that a NY corporation had failed to establish either that it and Plaintiff’s employer–a related entity–were part of a single integrated entity or that one of the corporations controlled...

NY Pharmacist May Proceed in Tort Against Entity Affiliated With His Employer NY Pharmacist May Proceed in Tort Against Entity Affiliated With His Employer
Dec 10, 2020

MS Court Reverses Commission Order Granting Sanctions Against Employer

A Mississippi appellate court held the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission erred when it entered an order that required an employer/carrier to pay attorney’s fees of $4,000 as a sanction for...

MS Court Reverses Commission Order Granting Sanctions Against Employer MS Court Reverses Commission Order Granting Sanctions Against Employer
Dec 8, 2020

Texas Employee’s Suit Against Co-Worker for Dog Bite is Barred by Exclusivity

A defendant/co-worker’s act of bringing her dog to the employer’s residential facility for pregnant women to serve as a comfort animal was an activity that had to do with and...

Texas Employee’s Suit Against Co-Worker for Dog Bite is Barred by Exclusivity Texas Employee’s Suit Against Co-Worker for Dog Bite is Barred by Exclusivity