Category: Case comment

Nov 11, 2014

“Dog Bites Man”: Pennsylvania Court Affirms Award for Worker Bitten By Co-Worker’s Canine

Yesterday, a Pennsylvania appellate court affirmed an order by the state’s Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board awarding workers’ compensation benefits to a worker who sustained facial lacerations and permanent scarring when...

“Dog Bites Man”: Pennsylvania Court Affirms Award for Worker Bitten By Co-Worker’s Canine “Dog Bites Man”: Pennsylvania Court Affirms Award for Worker Bitten By Co-Worker’s Canine
Nov 6, 2014

Pennsylvania Ex-Husband’s LHWCA Benefits Subject to Attachment by Former Spouse for Unpaid Alimony

Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act disability benefits are subject to attachment by a worker’s former spouse, held a Pennsylvania court yesterday in Uveges v. Uveges, 2014 PA Super 251, 2014...

Pennsylvania Ex-Husband’s LHWCA Benefits Subject to Attachment by Former Spouse for Unpaid Alimony Pennsylvania Ex-Husband’s LHWCA Benefits Subject to Attachment by Former Spouse for Unpaid Alimony
Nov 4, 2014

Iowa: Surveillance Videos of Injured Workers Not Protected by Work Product Privilege

A divided Court of Appeals of Iowa, in Iowa Insurance Institute v. Core Group of the Iowa Association for Justice, 2014 Iowa App. LEXIS 1067 (Oct. 29, 2014), has held...

Iowa: Surveillance Videos of Injured Workers Not Protected by Work Product Privilege Iowa: Surveillance Videos of Injured Workers Not Protected by Work Product Privilege
Oct 25, 2014

Arkansas: The Second You’re Off the Clock, You’re On Your Own

Construing A.C.A. § 11–9–102(4)(B)(iii), which provides in relevant part that a compensable injury does not include any injury inflicted upon the employee at a time when employment services were not...

Arkansas: The Second You’re Off the Clock, You’re On Your Own Arkansas: The Second You’re Off the Clock, You’re On Your Own
Sep 29, 2014

Wyoming Court Says Undocumented Worker Might Be Able to Employ Ingenious Argument to Avoid Exclusive Remedy Defense

The Wyoming Supreme Court, construing the statutory provision within the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act (“the Act”) defining “employee,” recently held that an an undocumented worker might be able to take...

Wyoming Court Says Undocumented Worker Might Be Able to Employ Ingenious Argument to Avoid Exclusive Remedy Defense Wyoming Court Says Undocumented Worker Might Be Able to Employ Ingenious Argument to Avoid Exclusive Remedy Defense
Sep 24, 2014

Oregon Home Health Care Worker’s Employment Is Broader Than Approved Task List

Like a number of other states, Oregon has a program through which its Department of Human Services provides home health care services to qualifying clients (state citizens), at state expense....

Oregon Home Health Care Worker’s Employment Is Broader Than Approved Task List Oregon Home Health Care Worker’s Employment Is Broader Than Approved Task List
Sep 23, 2014

Ohio Court Clarifies Elements of Retaliatory Discharge Action Against Former Employer

In Onderko v. Sierra Lobo, Inc., 2014 Ohio App. LEXIS 4015 (Sept. 19, 2014), an Ohio appellate court recently held that in order to state a claim for retaliatory discharge,...

Ohio Court Clarifies Elements of Retaliatory Discharge Action Against Former Employer Ohio Court Clarifies Elements of Retaliatory Discharge Action Against Former Employer
Sep 22, 2014

Divided Washington Court Again Refuses to Adopt Substantially Certain Test

A divided Supreme Court of Washington, noting that in Birklid v. Boeing Co., 127 Wn.2d 853, 904 P.2d 278 (1995) [see Larson’s Workers’ Compensation Law, § 103.04[3][c]], it had earlier...

Divided Washington Court Again Refuses to Adopt Substantially Certain Test Divided Washington Court Again Refuses to Adopt Substantially Certain Test
Sep 12, 2014

Oregon Court Affirms Denial of Claim Due to Claimant’s Failure to Cooperate

On Wednesday, an Oregon appellate court affirmed the denial of an injured worker’s claim for workers’ compensation benefits on the grounds that she had, without an appropriate reason, failed to...

Oregon Court Affirms Denial of Claim Due to Claimant’s Failure to Cooperate Oregon Court Affirms Denial of Claim Due to Claimant’s Failure to Cooperate
Sep 9, 2014

Ohio Jury Uses MapQuest Data to Help Establish Significance of Claimant’s Deviation from Employment

An Ohio appellate court recently affirmed a jury’s determination that a home health care nursing director, who sustained injuries in an automobile accident as he drove from a restaurant to...

Ohio Jury Uses MapQuest Data to Help Establish Significance of Claimant’s Deviation from Employment Ohio Jury Uses MapQuest Data to Help Establish Significance of Claimant’s Deviation from Employment
Sep 2, 2014

California Court Says Plaintiff’s IIED Claim is Barred by Exclusivity

A California appellate court has sustained a demurrer to a complaint alleging, among other things, intentional infliction of emotional distress filed by a former employee of a car dealership against...

California Court Says Plaintiff’s IIED Claim is Barred by Exclusivity California Court Says Plaintiff’s IIED Claim is Barred by Exclusivity
Aug 27, 2014

Divided SC Supreme Court Says Injuries Sustained Playing Kickball Were Compensable

In a divided decision, the Supreme Court of South Carolina today held that an employee’s injuries sustained in a game of kickball arose out of and in the course of...

Divided SC Supreme Court Says Injuries Sustained Playing Kickball Were Compensable Divided SC Supreme Court Says Injuries Sustained Playing Kickball Were Compensable