Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, a number of state governors (e.g., California, Kentucky, Missouri, and North Dakota) have issued executive orders promising extended workers’ compensation benefits and, in...
Opinion Mondays: State Governors Have Pens, Who Needs Legislatures? Opinion Mondays: State Governors Have Pens, Who Needs Legislatures?Over the past several weeks, as the coronavirus pandemic has raged across the United States, several state governors and a number of state legislatures have announced, and in a few...
Opinion Mondays: “Old” Case Law May Be Key to Many Coronavirus Claims Opinion Mondays: “Old” Case Law May Be Key to Many Coronavirus ClaimsLast Wednesday (March 25), North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum signed Executive Order 2020-12 that, as of March 13, 2020, purports to extend special worker compensation protections to first responders, health...
New Feature: Opinion Mondays — In the COVID-19 Medical Crisis, Who Is on the Front Line? New Feature: Opinion Mondays — In the COVID-19 Medical Crisis, Who Is on the Front Line?The world is transfixed by a new enemy: the coronavirus. I just received an email from my bank reminding me how I can use my accounts’ electronic features so as...
For Workers’ Comp World, Coronavirus is a Real “Snake in the Grass” For Workers’ Comp World, Coronavirus is a Real “Snake in the Grass”It is axiomatic that the procedural law of workers’ compensation takes its lead and tone from the beneficent nature of the legislation. Except in those few jurisdictions utilizing court administration...
Around the Horn: Admissibility of Hearsay in Workers’ Compensation Cases Around the Horn: Admissibility of Hearsay in Workers’ Compensation CasesIn a case of first impression, earlier today (January 13, 2020), the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey affirmed an order of a state workers’ compensation judge...
NJ Court Approves Order Requiring Employer to Reimburse Worker for Medical Marijuana NJ Court Approves Order Requiring Employer to Reimburse Worker for Medical MarijuanaReversing itself (in relevant part), a divided Supreme Court of Idaho cast aside a year-old decision and, after re-argument, adopted what amounts to a reckless standard in so-called “intentional” tort...
Idaho High Court Does “a 180”: Employees May Sue Employers for Reckless Conduct Idaho High Court Does “a 180”: Employees May Sue Employers for Reckless ConductCourt Affirms Denial of Benefits Based on Improper Social Security Number. Signaling how easy it is in Florida to deny workers’ compensation benefits to an injured illegal immigrant, yesterday a...
Florida Illegal Immigrant Caught in Catch-22 Florida Illegal Immigrant Caught in Catch-22In the first appellate decision from New York to deal with the intersection of the state’s medical marijuana law with its Workers’ Compensation Law, a state appellate court recently held...
NY Court Hints that Employer Might be Required to Pay for Medical Marijuana NY Court Hints that Employer Might be Required to Pay for Medical MarijuanaSection 306(a.3) Mandating Use of AMA Guides, 6th Ed., Stands In enacting 77 Pa. Stat. § 511.3, which mandates a physician’s use of the American Medical Association “Guides to the...
PA Court Says “Protz-Fix” is Constitutionally OK PA Court Says “Protz-Fix” is Constitutionally OKFive Out of Seven Ohio Supreme Court Justices Say Medical Opinion Was Ambiguous In a 5-2 decision, the Supreme Court of Ohio affirmed a finding by the Tenth District Court...
Commentary: The Challenges in Dealing With Cautious Medical Testimony Commentary: The Challenges in Dealing With Cautious Medical TestimonyThis Wednesday (July 10, 2019), Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, flanked by a group of first responders and state legislators, signed into law a new provision [S.B. 164, enrolled as Public...
PTSD Now a Compensable Condition in Connecticut—But Only if You’re a First Responder PTSD Now a Compensable Condition in Connecticut—But Only if You’re a First Responder