Category: Case comment

Apr 22, 2014

Mississippi Executive’s Survivors Awarded Death Benefits in Spite of His Decision Not to Secure Required Coverage for Firm

The affirmative decision by the managing partner and president of a CPA firm not to secure workers’ compensation coverage for the firm, in spite of the fact that the firm...

Mississippi Executive’s Survivors Awarded Death Benefits in Spite of His Decision Not to Secure Required Coverage for Firm Mississippi Executive’s Survivors Awarded Death Benefits in Spite of His Decision Not to Secure Required Coverage for Firm
Apr 15, 2014

Nebraska Retail Worker Awarded TTD Benefits and Continued Medical Care to Deal With PTSD and Drug Dependency Following Work-Related Shooting

In a recent case with rather bizarre underlying facts, the Supreme Court of Nebraska affirmed an award of temporary total disability benefits for an employee’s PTSD condition and inpatient treatment...

Nebraska Retail Worker Awarded TTD Benefits and Continued Medical Care to Deal With PTSD and Drug Dependency Following Work-Related Shooting Nebraska Retail Worker Awarded TTD Benefits and Continued Medical Care to Deal With PTSD and Drug Dependency Following Work-Related Shooting
Mar 31, 2014

New York: Vehicle Owner Shielded from Contribution By Exclusive Remedy Defense

Answering a question certified to it by the U.S. Court of Appeals (2nd Circuit), the Court of Appeals of New York, in Isabella v. Koubek, 2014 N.Y. LEXIS 569 (Mar....

New York: Vehicle Owner Shielded from Contribution By Exclusive Remedy Defense New York: Vehicle Owner Shielded from Contribution By Exclusive Remedy Defense
Mar 28, 2014

What A Difference a Word Makes: Illinois Court Remands Case Because Settlement Agreement Ambiguous

Characterizing the language of a workers’ compensation settlement agreement that included a provision for a Medicare set-aside annuity (MSA) as “sloppy” and “imprecise” and quoting novelist Vladimir Nabokov’s advice to...

What A Difference a Word Makes: Illinois Court Remands Case Because Settlement Agreement Ambiguous What A Difference a Word Makes: Illinois Court Remands Case Because Settlement Agreement Ambiguous
Mar 21, 2014

Virginia Court Requires Insurer to Provide Transportation to Doctor’s Office In Spite of Fact That It Already Paid to Modify Vehicle

It is one thing to modify an injured employee’s vehicle so as to accommodate his wheelchair or scooter. It is quite another to provide the employee with necessary transportation assistance...

Virginia Court Requires Insurer to Provide Transportation to Doctor’s Office In Spite of Fact That It Already Paid to Modify Vehicle Virginia Court Requires Insurer to Provide Transportation to Doctor’s Office In Spite of Fact That It Already Paid to Modify Vehicle
Mar 13, 2014

PA Court Refuses to Consider Independent, Board-Certified MD’s Opinion Because of Her Practice “Mix”

When is the opinion of a board-certified (occupational medicine) physician, with years of experience and special training in the utilization of the AMA Guides, and who has performed numerous Impairment...

PA Court Refuses to Consider Independent, Board-Certified MD’s Opinion Because of Her Practice “Mix” PA Court Refuses to Consider Independent, Board-Certified MD’s Opinion Because of Her Practice “Mix”
Mar 10, 2014

Minnesota High Court Says PTSD is No “Brain Injury”

Reiterating the Minnesota rule that so-called “mental-mental” injuries–mental injuries associated with mental stimulus, as opposed to physical stimulus–are not compensable and that it is for the state’s legislature, and not...

Minnesota High Court Says PTSD is No “Brain Injury” Minnesota High Court Says PTSD is No “Brain Injury”
Mar 7, 2014

Benign Neglect: Can Failure to Follow Doctor’s Advice Be Fatal to Injured Worker’s Claim?

Within the workers’ compensation arena, it is axiomatic that the medical consequences and sequelae that flow from the primary injury are themselves compensable. [see Larson’s Workers’ Compensation Law, § 10.01]....

Benign Neglect: Can Failure to Follow Doctor’s Advice Be Fatal to Injured Worker’s Claim? Benign Neglect: Can Failure to Follow Doctor’s Advice Be Fatal to Injured Worker’s Claim?
Feb 27, 2014

Compromise and Settlement: May An Employer Include a Penalty Clause to Ward Off Further Vexatious Claims?

Each year I read–or at least scan–more than 1,500 workers’ compensation cases that make the appellate reporter system around the nation. As large as that number sounds, it’s really fewer...

Compromise and Settlement: May An Employer Include a Penalty Clause to Ward Off Further Vexatious Claims? Compromise and Settlement: May An Employer Include a Penalty Clause to Ward Off Further Vexatious Claims?
Feb 25, 2014

Ohio: Comatose Injured Worker’s Additional Claim for Loss of Vision and Hearing Fails

The Supreme Court of Ohio, reversing an earlier decision by an intermediate appellate court, recently affirmed the state Industrial Commission’s denial of a loss of vision and hearing claim under...

Ohio: Comatose Injured Worker’s Additional Claim for Loss of Vision and Hearing Fails Ohio: Comatose Injured Worker’s Additional Claim for Loss of Vision and Hearing Fails
Feb 17, 2014

Louisiana: Mileage Payment Does Not Bring EMT’s Travel Within the Employment; Going and Coming Rule Bars Claim

In Potier v. Acadian Ambulance Serv., Inc., 2014 La. App. LEXIS 347 (February 12, 2014), a Louisiana appellate court recently affirmed a decision by a state workers’ compensation judge that...

Louisiana: Mileage Payment Does Not Bring EMT’s Travel Within the Employment; Going and Coming Rule Bars Claim Louisiana: Mileage Payment Does Not Bring EMT’s Travel Within the Employment; Going and Coming Rule Bars Claim
Feb 17, 2014

NY: Employer Does Not Lose Exclusivity Defense in Contribution/Indemnification Case Because Employee was Undocumented Alien

N.Y. Work. Comp. Law § 11 bars third-party lawsuits for contribution and indemnification against an injured employee’s employer unless either (a) the employee suffered a “grave injury,” limited to death...

NY: Employer Does Not Lose Exclusivity Defense in Contribution/Indemnification Case Because Employee was Undocumented Alien NY: Employer Does Not Lose Exclusivity Defense in Contribution/Indemnification Case Because Employee was Undocumented Alien