Category: Case comment

Oct 20, 2015

Illinois Retaliatory Discharge Claim May Not Be Removed to Federal Court

A retaliatory discharge action filed under 820 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. § 305/4(h)—part of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act—may not be removed from an Illinois trial court to a federal...

Illinois Retaliatory Discharge Claim May Not Be Removed to Federal Court Illinois Retaliatory Discharge Claim May Not Be Removed to Federal Court
Oct 15, 2015

Iowa Sole Proprietor Working Alongside Others is Still Employer For Purposes of Workers’ Compensation Exclusive Remedy Defense

An Iowa sole proprietor, who worked alongside his employees, was nevertheless still an employer—and not a co-employee—for purposes of the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Act, held a state appellate court [Mullen...

Iowa Sole Proprietor Working Alongside Others is Still Employer For Purposes of Workers’ Compensation Exclusive Remedy Defense Iowa Sole Proprietor Working Alongside Others is Still Employer For Purposes of Workers’ Compensation Exclusive Remedy Defense
Oct 13, 2015

New York Nurse Awarded 90% Loss of Wage-Earning Capacity Due to Allergic Reaction to Hand Sanitizer

A New York appellate court affirmed a finding by the state’s Workers’ Compensation Board that a former critical care nurse suffered a work-related 90 percent loss of wage-earning capacity where...

New York Nurse Awarded 90% Loss of Wage-Earning Capacity Due to Allergic Reaction to Hand Sanitizer New York Nurse Awarded 90% Loss of Wage-Earning Capacity Due to Allergic Reaction to Hand Sanitizer
Oct 12, 2015

Wyoming Employer Need Not Keep Immigration Documentation on Hand

While the workers’ compensation laws of virtually all states include illegally employed persons—e.g., minors and undocumented “aliens”—within the term “employee,” Wyoming’s definition is more restrictive. Only those aliens whom the...

Wyoming Employer Need Not Keep Immigration Documentation on Hand Wyoming Employer Need Not Keep Immigration Documentation on Hand
Sep 28, 2015

Wyoming High Court Adopts “Substantial and Motivating Factor” Test to Judge Retaliatory Discharge Claim

Adopting the “substantial and motivating factor” test to determine if an employer’s decision to terminate a worker’s employment was retaliatory, the Supreme Court of Wyoming reversed a trial court order...

Wyoming High Court Adopts “Substantial and Motivating Factor” Test to Judge Retaliatory Discharge Claim Wyoming High Court Adopts “Substantial and Motivating Factor” Test to Judge Retaliatory Discharge Claim
Sep 22, 2015

PA Court Strikes Down Use of AMA Guides, 6th Ed.

Last Friday, a deeply divided Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania struck down as unconstitutional the requirement, codified in § 306(a.2) of the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act [77 Pa. Stat. Ann. §...

PA Court Strikes Down Use of AMA Guides, 6th Ed. PA Court Strikes Down Use of AMA Guides, 6th Ed.
Sep 11, 2015

Ohio Court Again Says TTD Benefits Unaffected by Pre-Injury Drug Use Undetected Until After Injury

An Ohio appellate court has again concluded that the doctrine of voluntary abandonment does not bar an injured worker’s entitlement to TTD compensation in a case involving a pre-injury infraction—here,...

Ohio Court Again Says TTD Benefits Unaffected by Pre-Injury Drug Use Undetected Until After Injury Ohio Court Again Says TTD Benefits Unaffected by Pre-Injury Drug Use Undetected Until After Injury
Sep 2, 2015

Washington High Court Says Valley Fever is Not Covered by Firefighters’ Presumption

Valley fever is not a “respiratory disease” for purposes of the state of Washington’s firefighters presumption [Wash. Rev. Code § 51.21.185(1)]; it is instead an “infectious disease” and is not...

Washington High Court Says Valley Fever is Not Covered by Firefighters’ Presumption Washington High Court Says Valley Fever is Not Covered by Firefighters’ Presumption
Aug 28, 2015

Kentucky High Court Says “Concurrent” Wages May Only Be Considered for AWW Computation if Concurrent Employment Existed on DOI

Where an injured employee had but one employer on the date of injury, the employee’s average weekly wage must be computed by considering only the wages from that employer; “concurrent”...

Kentucky High Court Says “Concurrent” Wages May Only Be Considered for AWW Computation if Concurrent Employment Existed on DOI Kentucky High Court Says “Concurrent” Wages May Only Be Considered for AWW Computation if Concurrent Employment Existed on DOI
Aug 27, 2015

Tennessee Mattress Store Manager Prevails in PTSD Claim After Encounter with Purse Snatching Customers

The manager of a Tennessee mattress store, who alleged that she sustained a psychological injury (“PTSD”) when she pursued two persons into the employer’s store parking lot after they had...

Tennessee Mattress Store Manager Prevails in PTSD Claim After Encounter with Purse Snatching Customers Tennessee Mattress Store Manager Prevails in PTSD Claim After Encounter with Purse Snatching Customers
Aug 26, 2015

NC Employee’s Injury Playing Laser Tag Found Compensable

An employee who suffered a knee injury while playing laser tag at a company-sponsored marketing conference sustained an accidental injury arising out of and in the course of the employment,...

NC Employee’s Injury Playing Laser Tag Found Compensable NC Employee’s Injury Playing Laser Tag Found Compensable
Aug 19, 2015

Illinois Welder’s Knee Injury While Swiveling in Chair Found Compensable

Using a neutral risk analysis, an Illinois appellate court reversed a trial court’s decision that in turn had affirmed the denial of workers’ compensation benefits to a worker who injured...

Illinois Welder’s Knee Injury While Swiveling in Chair Found Compensable Illinois Welder’s Knee Injury While Swiveling in Chair Found Compensable