During September of each of the past five years, my colleague, Robin Kobayashi, and I have pulled together a volume entitled, Workers’ Compensation Emerging Issues Analysis. Annually published by LexisNexis®,...
2017’s Top 10 Workers’ Compensation Cases 2017’s Top 10 Workers’ Compensation CasesWhat if Employers Are Willing to Give Up Exclusive Remedy Defense? In his typically lucid and engaging style, Bob Wilson mused in his post this morning that the employer opt...
Bob Wilson May Have a “Cluttered Desk;” His Prediction of Opt Out Reprise is Spot On! Bob Wilson May Have a “Cluttered Desk;” His Prediction of Opt Out Reprise is Spot On!In a highly anticipated decision, Protz v. Workers’ Comp. Appeal Bd. (Derry Area Sch. Dist.), 2017 Pa. LEXIS 1401 (June 20, 2017), a split Supreme Court of Pennsylvania yesterday held that...
Pennsylvania High Court Strikes Down Use of “Most Recent” AMA Guides Pennsylvania High Court Strikes Down Use of “Most Recent” AMA GuidesI should have noted this earlier, but anyone still holding his or her breath as to whether Arkansas might pass workers’ compensation opt out legislation during the Legislature’s 2017 session...
Those Holding Their Breath for Arkansas Opt Out Legislation Can Exhale Those Holding Their Breath for Arkansas Opt Out Legislation Can ExhaleHas the State Established New Weight-Loss Program for Workers? Emphasizing that within the Colorado workers’ compensation scheme, the employer does not necessarily take the employee as it finds him (or...
Colorado Court Apportions Two-Thirds of Occupational Disease Claim to Overweight Mechanic Colorado Court Apportions Two-Thirds of Occupational Disease Claim to Overweight MechanicAs I indicated here in an earlier post (March 29, 2017), the Arkansas workers’ compensation “opt out” bill exists only as a shell, with literally no details contained in 2017...
Arkansas Opt-Out Scenario—Still No Text in the Introduced Bill Arkansas Opt-Out Scenario—Still No Text in the Introduced BillIn a case that echoes the plight of all too many injured workers in the U.S., the Supreme Court of Tennessee has overturned a decision of a state chancery court...
Tennessee Widow Loses Battle Related to Injured Worker’s Overdose Death Tennessee Widow Loses Battle Related to Injured Worker’s Overdose DeathOnly There Aren’t any Details—at Least Not Yet Lately, I’ve seen a number of news items indicating that the Arkansas Legislature is considering an opt-out arrangement for its workers’ compensation...
Arkansas Opt-Out Bill: The Devil’s in the Details Arkansas Opt-Out Bill: The Devil’s in the DetailsNebraska Worker’s Death From Apparent Suicide is Not Compensable In a case that is heartbreaking from multiple points of view, the family of an injured Nebraska employee was denied workers’...
Like Oil & Water, Oxycodone and Xanax Don’t Mix Like Oil & Water, Oxycodone and Xanax Don’t MixIn the past few years, a great deal of appropriate attention has been spent pondering various ways in which access to medical care could be improved for injured workers. Various...
National Conference Session Points to Increase Use of Telemedicine for Injured Workers National Conference Session Points to Increase Use of Telemedicine for Injured WorkersMartin Klug’s New Book Provides Important Insight During a famous incident that occurred in Sicily during August 1943, General George S. Patton, in two separate incidents, slapped U.S. Army privates...
Book Review: Does Pop Culture’s PTSD Discussion Give You Combat Fatigue? Book Review: Does Pop Culture’s PTSD Discussion Give You Combat Fatigue?As most of us are aware, OSHA’s final rule regarding, inter alia, anti-retaliation protections within the workplace was published May 12, 2016. Technically effective on August 10, 2016, OSHA delayed...
Ohio Decision Illustrates Conflict Between OSHA’s New Anti-Retaliation Rule and Drug-Free Workplace Policies Ohio Decision Illustrates Conflict Between OSHA’s New Anti-Retaliation Rule and Drug-Free Workplace Policies