Category: Case comment

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
Aug 25, 2014

Kentucky Cap on Claimant Attorney’s Fees Applies In Spite of Multiple Proceedings to Recover Benefits

The $12,000 cap on claimant’s attorney’s fees contained in KRS 342.320(2)(a) applies to the entire “original claim,” including any interlocutory proceedings, such as as a medical fee dispute, held a...

Kentucky Cap on Claimant Attorney’s Fees Applies In Spite of Multiple Proceedings to Recover Benefits Kentucky Cap on Claimant Attorney’s Fees Applies In Spite of Multiple Proceedings to Recover Benefits
Aug 20, 2014

Informal Arrangement Regarding Boarding of Horses Did not Create Employer-Employee Relationship

An oral agreement whereby one party (Cornett) was allowed to board horses on property owned by another (Schumacher) and pay the latter a portion of the boarding fees received as...

Informal Arrangement Regarding Boarding of Horses Did not Create Employer-Employee Relationship Informal Arrangement Regarding Boarding of Horses Did not Create Employer-Employee Relationship
Aug 19, 2014

Annual Service Bonus is Part of Iowa Employee’s Average Weekly Wage Computation

Where the only conditions precedent to receiving an annual bonus was simply being an “active employee on November 30th of the year the bonus was paid and the condition precedent...

Annual Service Bonus is Part of Iowa Employee’s Average Weekly Wage Computation Annual Service Bonus is Part of Iowa Employee’s Average Weekly Wage Computation
Aug 15, 2014

Louisiana Claimant Gets Hit With Forfeiture of Benefits and Stiff Penalties for Misrepresentations

A Louisiana appellate court has affirmed an Order of the state’s Office of Workers’ Compensation that heavily sanctioned a workers’ compensation claimant for fraud in violation of La. R. S....

Louisiana Claimant Gets Hit With Forfeiture of Benefits and Stiff Penalties for Misrepresentations Louisiana Claimant Gets Hit With Forfeiture of Benefits and Stiff Penalties for Misrepresentations
Aug 8, 2014

Nebraska High Court Clarifies “Manifestation” Date in Repetitive Trauma Cases

The Supreme Court of Nebraska recently held that for purposes of assigning liability among several employers for a dental hygienist’s repetitive trauma injury, the injury manifested itself on the day...

Nebraska High Court Clarifies “Manifestation” Date in Repetitive Trauma Cases Nebraska High Court Clarifies “Manifestation” Date in Repetitive Trauma Cases
Aug 5, 2014

Divided California Supreme Court Says In-Home Caregivers May Not Sue Alzheimer’s Patients For Injuries

Acknowledging that agitation and physical aggression are common late-stage symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, that injuries to caregivers are not unusual, and that California and other jurisdictions had previously established the...

Divided California Supreme Court Says In-Home Caregivers May Not Sue Alzheimer’s Patients For Injuries Divided California Supreme Court Says In-Home Caregivers May Not Sue Alzheimer’s Patients For Injuries
Jul 28, 2014

Alaska: Same-Sex Partner of Deceased Worker Entitled to Death Benefits In Spite of State’s “Marriage Amendment”

On Friday, the Supreme Court of Alaska, in Harris v. Millennium Hotel, 2014 Alas. LEXIS 149 (July 25, 2014), held that the state’s workers’ compensation death benefits statute, Alaska Stat....

Alaska: Same-Sex Partner of Deceased Worker Entitled to Death Benefits In Spite of State’s “Marriage Amendment” Alaska: Same-Sex Partner of Deceased Worker Entitled to Death Benefits In Spite of State’s “Marriage Amendment”
Jul 25, 2014

Pennsylvania: Claimant’s Invocation of Self-Incrimination Rights Cannot, Standing Alone, Furnish Sufficient Evidence to Suspend Comp Benefits

On Monday, in Cruz v. Workers’ Comp. Appeal Bd. (Kennett Square Specialties), 2014 Pa. LEXIS 1772 (July 21, 2014), the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania held that as to the proper...

Pennsylvania: Claimant’s Invocation of Self-Incrimination Rights Cannot, Standing Alone, Furnish Sufficient Evidence to Suspend Comp Benefits Pennsylvania: Claimant’s Invocation of Self-Incrimination Rights Cannot, Standing Alone, Furnish Sufficient Evidence to Suspend Comp Benefits
Jul 16, 2014

Illinois Court Says “Ordinary” Reaching Activity is Nevertheless Risk of Employment

Acknowledging that there are three categories of risk to which an employee may be exposed: (1) risks distinctly associated with her employment; (2) personal risks; and (3) neutral risks which...

Illinois Court Says “Ordinary” Reaching Activity is Nevertheless Risk of Employment Illinois Court Says “Ordinary” Reaching Activity is Nevertheless Risk of Employment