Category: Case comment

Jan 20, 2012

Virginia Court: Removal of Ankle Prosthesis, Without its Replacement, Does Not Trigger Reopening Statute

Recognizing that no matter how competent and reasonable a commission or board’s determination of a claimant’s medical condition and level of disability might be at the time of a hearing,...

Virginia Court: Removal of Ankle Prosthesis, Without its Replacement, Does Not Trigger Reopening Statute Virginia Court: Removal of Ankle Prosthesis, Without its Replacement, Does Not Trigger Reopening Statute
Jan 14, 2012

Georgia Appellate Court: Effort to Stop Runaway Car is Not a Deviation From the Employment

Last Wednesday, a Georgia appellate court, holding the State Board of Workers’ Compensation had utilized an “erroneous theory” regarding what conduct constitutes a deviation from employment that will bar compensation...

Georgia Appellate Court: Effort to Stop Runaway Car is Not a Deviation From the Employment Georgia Appellate Court: Effort to Stop Runaway Car is Not a Deviation From the Employment
Jan 12, 2012

Arkansas Court Affirms Denial of Benefits; Explosion Caused By Worker’s Marijuana Use

In a split decision, the Arkansas Court of Appeals yesterday affirmed a finding by the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission that an injured worker failed to rebut the statutory presumption that...

Arkansas Court Affirms Denial of Benefits; Explosion Caused By Worker’s Marijuana Use Arkansas Court Affirms Denial of Benefits; Explosion Caused By Worker’s Marijuana Use
Jan 11, 2012

New York Correctional Facility Superintendent’s Achilles Tendon Injury While Coaching Volleyball Team is Compensable In Spite of Statute Limiting Definition of “Injury”

A New York appellate court, in Nichols v. Hale Creek ASACTC, 2012 N.Y. App. LEXIS 79 (Jan. 5, 2012) has affirmed an award of workers’ compensation benefits to a superintendent...

New York Correctional Facility Superintendent’s Achilles Tendon Injury While Coaching Volleyball Team is Compensable In Spite of Statute Limiting Definition of “Injury” New York Correctional Facility Superintendent’s Achilles Tendon Injury While Coaching Volleyball Team is Compensable In Spite of Statute Limiting Definition of “Injury”
Jan 6, 2012

New York Case Illustrates That Correlation Between Years of Heavy Work and Back Problems Is Insufficient to Support Compensability

A New York decision reported yesterday, Satalino v. Dan’s Supreme Supermarket, 2012 NY Slip Op 86, 2012 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 63 (Jan. 5, 2012), illustrates the important distinction between...

New York Case Illustrates That Correlation Between Years of Heavy Work and Back Problems Is Insufficient to Support Compensability New York Case Illustrates That Correlation Between Years of Heavy Work and Back Problems Is Insufficient to Support Compensability
Dec 29, 2011

Ohio Court Nixes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Claim in Spite of Close Ties With Truck Driver’s Compensable Physical Injuries

A divided Ohio appellate court recently affirmed a trial court’s final judgment that denied a dump truck driver’s claim for post traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”) in spite of strong medical...

Ohio Court Nixes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Claim in Spite of Close Ties With Truck Driver’s Compensable Physical Injuries Ohio Court Nixes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Claim in Spite of Close Ties With Truck Driver’s Compensable Physical Injuries
Dec 23, 2011

North Carolina Teacher’s Tort Action Against Principal Who Prankishly Sprayed Her in Face With Fire Extinguisher May Move Forward

In a split decision, the Court of Appeals of North Carolina, in Trivette v. Yount, 2011 N.C. App. LEXIS 2598 (Dec. 20, 2011), has affirmed an order of a state...

North Carolina Teacher’s Tort Action Against Principal Who Prankishly Sprayed Her in Face With Fire Extinguisher May Move Forward North Carolina Teacher’s Tort Action Against Principal Who Prankishly Sprayed Her in Face With Fire Extinguisher May Move Forward
Dec 22, 2011

North Carolina Worker Injured While Retrieving Paycheck Denied Benefits Under “Going and Coming” Rule

A North Carolina appellate court, in Quiroz v. Metropols Statuary, Inc., 2011 N.C. App. LEXIS 2619 (Dec. 20, 2011), recently affirmed a decision by the state’s Industrial Commission that had...

North Carolina Worker Injured While Retrieving Paycheck Denied Benefits Under “Going and Coming” Rule North Carolina Worker Injured While Retrieving Paycheck Denied Benefits Under “Going and Coming” Rule
Dec 21, 2011

Arkansas Court Affirms Commission’s Order Requiring Claimant’s Attorney to Receive Half of Fee Over Nine-Year Period

The Court of Appeals of Arkansas has affirmed a determination by the state’s Workers’ Compensation Commission that ruled that a claimant’s attorney must receive one-half the allowed attorney’s fee in...

Arkansas Court Affirms Commission’s Order Requiring Claimant’s Attorney to Receive Half of Fee Over Nine-Year Period Arkansas Court Affirms Commission’s Order Requiring Claimant’s Attorney to Receive Half of Fee Over Nine-Year Period
Dec 19, 2011

New Hampshire: Mental Injury Following Business Failure Is Not Compensable Injury

As is the case in a majority of states, mental injuries, including major depression caused by work-related stress, may qualify as compensable injuries in New Hampshire [N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann...

New Hampshire: Mental Injury Following Business Failure Is Not Compensable Injury New Hampshire: Mental Injury Following Business Failure Is Not Compensable Injury
Dec 17, 2011

For Second Time in Eight Months, Arkansas Court Sends Case Back to Workers’ Compensation Commission to Determine if Claimant Successfully Rebutted Statutory Presumption Related to Alleged Methamphetamine Use

It’s axiomatic that in virtually all workers’ compensation cases it is the fact-finder–the Industrial Commission, Appeals Board, or the hearing officer–who must pass upon the credibility of witnesses; the appellate...

For Second Time in Eight Months, Arkansas Court Sends Case Back to Workers’ Compensation Commission to Determine if Claimant Successfully Rebutted Statutory Presumption Related to Alleged Methamphetamine Use For Second Time in Eight Months, Arkansas Court Sends Case Back to Workers’ Compensation Commission to Determine if Claimant Successfully Rebutted Statutory Presumption Related to Alleged Methamphetamine Use
Dec 16, 2011

Pennsylvania Worker’s “Dual Persona” Tort Action Against Employer Fails

Since the enactment of the first state workers’ compensation laws one hundred years ago, exclusive remedy provisions within state acts have been a core component of the workers’ compensation “bargain.”...

Pennsylvania Worker’s “Dual Persona” Tort Action Against Employer Fails Pennsylvania Worker’s “Dual Persona” Tort Action Against Employer Fails