Category: Case comment

Sep 20, 2019

Ohio Claimant’s Vision Loss May Not Be Judged Merely by Snellen Fraction Differentials

In order to establish entitlement to an award for permanent partial loss of sight under Ohio Rev. Code § 4123.57(B), a workers’ compensation claimant must submit medical evidence showing the...

Ohio Claimant’s Vision Loss May Not Be Judged Merely by Snellen Fraction Differentials Ohio Claimant’s Vision Loss May Not Be Judged Merely by Snellen Fraction Differentials
Sep 18, 2019

West Virginia: No Dependency Established Where Daughter Had not Lived With Employee for 25 Years

In a memorandum decision that illustrates one of the several important distinctions between the tort law world, which tends to emphasize property rights (converting, if you will, even pain and...

West Virginia: No Dependency Established Where Daughter Had not Lived With Employee for 25 Years West Virginia: No Dependency Established Where Daughter Had not Lived With Employee for 25 Years
Sep 17, 2019

Colorado Employer’s First Report of Injury and Other Preliminary Filings Do Not Toll Statute of Limitations

In Colorado, the statute of limitations applicable to the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act [Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-43-103(2)] is not tolled by the filing of the employer’s first report of...

Colorado Employer’s First Report of Injury and Other Preliminary Filings Do Not Toll Statute of Limitations Colorado Employer’s First Report of Injury and Other Preliminary Filings Do Not Toll Statute of Limitations
Sep 16, 2019

NY Court: “Attachment to Labor Market” Amendment Not Always Applied Retroactively

The 2017 amendment to N.Y. Workers’ Comp. Law § 15(3)(w), which relieves some permanently partially disabled claimants of the obligation to show labor market attachment, does not apply retroactively in all...

NY Court: “Attachment to Labor Market” Amendment Not Always Applied Retroactively NY Court: “Attachment to Labor Market” Amendment Not Always Applied Retroactively
Sep 13, 2019

Michigan Commission May Not Establish Overpayment Rules Re: Workers’ Comp Benefits on its Own

Where the Michigan Legislature had promulgated one right of reimbursement for overpayment of workers’ compensation benefits—allowing recovery of the overpayment made within one year of the recoupment action under MCL...

Michigan Commission May Not Establish Overpayment Rules Re: Workers’ Comp Benefits on its Own Michigan Commission May Not Establish Overpayment Rules Re: Workers’ Comp Benefits on its Own
Sep 12, 2019

Wyoming High Court Says Both Employer and Division of Workers’ Compensation Estopped From Using Statute of Limitations Defense

In a complex case, with procedural twists and turns, the Supreme Court of Wyoming reversed a finding that an employee’s claim for workers’ compensation benefits was barred because he failed...

Wyoming High Court Says Both Employer and Division of Workers’ Compensation Estopped From Using Statute of Limitations Defense Wyoming High Court Says Both Employer and Division of Workers’ Compensation Estopped From Using Statute of Limitations Defense
Sep 11, 2019

Utah High Court Comes Close to Adopting Positional Risk for Unexplained Falls

The Supreme Court of Utah affirmed a finding by the state’s Labor Commission that an employee’s injuries sustained in an unexplained fall in a parking lot adjacent to the employer’s...

Utah High Court Comes Close to Adopting Positional Risk for Unexplained Falls Utah High Court Comes Close to Adopting Positional Risk for Unexplained Falls
Sep 10, 2019

Sixth Circuit Side-Steps Federal Immigration Issue in Retaliatory Discharge Action

While hypothetical questions may have been the standard in law school courses taught via the Socratic Method, the Sixth Circuit recently held such questions are not to be considered by...

Sixth Circuit Side-Steps Federal Immigration Issue in Retaliatory Discharge Action Sixth Circuit Side-Steps Federal Immigration Issue in Retaliatory Discharge Action
Sep 6, 2019

Tourist Medicine May Be Coming to a Comp Claim Near You

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Doctor. I shared a nostalgic conversation last week with a similarly-aged J.D. about our early days of law practice. More than...

Tourist Medicine May Be Coming to a Comp Claim Near You Tourist Medicine May Be Coming to a Comp Claim Near You
Sep 5, 2019

Provision of Vehicle to Employee Not Controlling Factor in Texas Death Benefits Case

The provision by an employer of a company-owned vehicle was insufficient to establish a work-connection between an employee’s fatal vehicle accident and the employment, held a Texas appellate court recently...

Provision of Vehicle to Employee Not Controlling Factor in Texas Death Benefits Case Provision of Vehicle to Employee Not Controlling Factor in Texas Death Benefits Case
Aug 30, 2019

Rule 12(b)(1) vs. 12(b)(6): What’s the Difference? Parties Discover that With Motions to Dismiss, Subsections Matter

Questions of employer immunity from actions for workplace injuries do not raise issues pertaining to the original subject matter jurisdiction of Washington's superior courts, held a state appellate court in...

Rule 12(b)(1) vs. 12(b)(6): What’s the Difference? Parties Discover that With Motions to Dismiss, Subsections Matter Rule 12(b)(1) vs. 12(b)(6): What’s the Difference? Parties Discover that With Motions to Dismiss, Subsections Matter
Aug 29, 2019

Texas Gross Negligence Statute Requires Showing of Both Objective and Subjective Elements

Construing Tex. Lab. Code Ann. § 408.001(b), which provides that the exclusive remedy provision of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act does not prohibit the recovery of exemplary damages by the...

Texas Gross Negligence Statute Requires Showing of Both Objective and Subjective Elements Texas Gross Negligence Statute Requires Showing of Both Objective and Subjective Elements