Category: Case comment

Jun 5, 2015

Florida Court Says Judge Should Have Disqualified Himself For Bias

In Kline v. JRD Management Corp., 2015 Fla. App. LEXIS 8364 (1st DCA, June 2, 2015), a Florida appellate court recently held that a judge of compensation claims (“JCC”) erred...

Florida Court Says Judge Should Have Disqualified Himself For Bias Florida Court Says Judge Should Have Disqualified Himself For Bias
May 29, 2015

California Court: Leasing Employers and Temporary Service Employers May Not Self-Insure

Earlier this month, a California appellate court struck down a challenge by two staffing companies that had sued the state, alleging that Cal. Lab. Code § 3701.9, added in 2012...

California Court: Leasing Employers and Temporary Service Employers May Not Self-Insure California Court: Leasing Employers and Temporary Service Employers May Not Self-Insure
May 18, 2015

Kansas Court Extends Firefighter’s Rule to Bar Tort Recovery by Law Enforcement Officer

Ordinarily, workers are free to pursue civil actions against third parties whose negligence causes work-related injuries. One exception, however, is the so-called “firefighter’s rule,” adopted in a number of states,...

Kansas Court Extends Firefighter’s Rule to Bar Tort Recovery by Law Enforcement Officer Kansas Court Extends Firefighter’s Rule to Bar Tort Recovery by Law Enforcement Officer
May 12, 2015

Nevada Work Release Inmate’s Injuries Are Responsibility of Employer, Not State

Nevada, like a number of other states, provides workers’ compensation benefits for inmates who sustain injuries “while engaged in work in a prison industry or work program,” whether the program...

Nevada Work Release Inmate’s Injuries Are Responsibility of Employer, Not State Nevada Work Release Inmate’s Injuries Are Responsibility of Employer, Not State
May 8, 2015

Kentucky Truck Driver’s Tort Action Against Wal-Mart Barred by Statutory Employer Rules

A truck driver, who alleged that he sustained injuries while delivering merchandise to a Wal-Mart store in Kentucky cannot proceed in his civil action against the large retailer since, under...

Kentucky Truck Driver’s Tort Action Against Wal-Mart Barred by Statutory Employer Rules Kentucky Truck Driver’s Tort Action Against Wal-Mart Barred by Statutory Employer Rules
May 1, 2015

NY Claimant Fails to Show That Claim Filing Was Delayed by Hurricane Sandy

An employee’s inability to file a timely notice of claim based on his alleged inability to meet with counsel because of the onslaught and aftermath of Hurricane Sandy was an...

NY Claimant Fails to Show That Claim Filing Was Delayed by Hurricane Sandy NY Claimant Fails to Show That Claim Filing Was Delayed by Hurricane Sandy
Apr 28, 2015

Arkansas Court Approves Award of Additional Medical Expenses Related to ER Visit Six Months After Initial Injury

An Arkansas appellate court affirmed a finding by the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission that an employee was entitled to additional medical benefits when, some six months after an ankle injury,...

Arkansas Court Approves Award of Additional Medical Expenses Related to ER Visit Six Months After Initial Injury Arkansas Court Approves Award of Additional Medical Expenses Related to ER Visit Six Months After Initial Injury
Apr 17, 2015

Virgin Islands: Going and Coming—Is Break Taken to Run Errands a “Lunch” Break

In what Professor Larson would have referred to as an “upside-down” exclusivity case—where the employee tries to prove that her injuries were not covered by the applicable workers’ compensation law...

Virgin Islands: Going and Coming—Is Break Taken to Run Errands a “Lunch” Break Virgin Islands: Going and Coming—Is Break Taken to Run Errands a “Lunch” Break
Apr 14, 2015

West Virginia High Court Crafts Narrow Exception to 6-Month Statute of Limitations in Death Claims

The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia held that where a claimant delays the filing of a workers’ compensation death benefits claim because she was unaware, and could not...

West Virginia High Court Crafts Narrow Exception to 6-Month Statute of Limitations in Death Claims West Virginia High Court Crafts Narrow Exception to 6-Month Statute of Limitations in Death Claims
Apr 10, 2015

West Virginia Employee’s Unexplained Fall Was Idiopathic And Not Compensable

In a memorandum decision, the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed the denial of workers’ compensation benefits to an employee who suffered a dislocation of his left knee...

West Virginia Employee’s Unexplained Fall Was Idiopathic And Not Compensable West Virginia Employee’s Unexplained Fall Was Idiopathic And Not Compensable
Apr 9, 2015

PA: Native-American Marriage Ceremony Establishes “Widow’s” Common-law Marriage

On Tuesday, a Pennsylvania appellate court held that a claimant, whose purported husband had been killed in a work-related rollover accident at a ski resort, had presented clear and convincing...

PA: Native-American Marriage Ceremony Establishes “Widow’s” Common-law Marriage PA: Native-American Marriage Ceremony Establishes “Widow’s” Common-law Marriage
Apr 9, 2015

Maryland: Subsequent Injury Fund Assessment Not Reduced Due to Retirement Offset

The 6.5% assessment, payable by a Maryland employer or insurer to the state’s Subsequent Injury Fund on: (i) each award for permanent disability or death, or (ii) each amount payable...

Maryland: Subsequent Injury Fund Assessment Not Reduced Due to Retirement Offset Maryland: Subsequent Injury Fund Assessment Not Reduced Due to Retirement Offset