Blog - Lastest News from Work Comp Staffing Solutions
Split Court Overturns Summary Judgment on Statutory Employer Defense
A narrowly divided Superior Court of Pennsylvania overturned a grant of summary judgment to two corporate entities who asserted a statutory employer defense to an injured worker’s tort claim. Case: Dobransky…
WCB Announces Emergency Telemedicine Rules
The New York State Workers’ Compensation Board announced the adoption of emergency rules allowing telemedicine in some circumstances. In addition to allowing virtual visits to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the…
Manufacturer Fined $159k for Serious Workplace Injury
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a Weston, Wisconsin-based manufacturer for one serious and two repeated violations for machine safety failures following a serious workplace injury. An employee working…
Split Court Denies Interlocutory Review of Rejected Defense
A Florida appellate court denied interlocutory review of an employer’s appeal of an order rejecting its argument that its workers' compensation immunity can protect it from a circuit court lawsuit facially…
Amazon’s Pandemic Business Surge Tied to Increase in Injuries
A coalition of worker unions analyzed injury reports from Amazon Inc. warehouses and found that injuries among employees increased by 20% in the pandemic. The Strategic Organizing Center, a coalition of four…
DWC Posts Additional Adjustments to Pathology, Lab Fee Schedule
The California Division of Workers’ Compensation announced an additional update to the pathology and clinical laboratory section of the Official Medical Fee Schedule to incorporate Medicare’s changes. The DWC issued an…
WCD Meeting to Discuss Implementation of HB 4138
The Oregon Workers’ Compensation Division is holding a meeting for system users in May to discuss implementation of House Bill 4138. The bill enacted on March 23 limits recovery of overpayments…
Supreme Court Upholds Denial of Benefits to Worker for Hearing Loss
The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld a denial of benefits to a worker for his hearing loss, since he did not submit any valid audiometric testing. Case: Ballard v. Lightning Contract…
Employer Can’t Challenge ALJ’s Determination of Claim’s Timeliness
The Georgia Court of Appeals tossed an employer’s attempt to challenge an administrative law judge’s finding that an injured employee’s hearing request remained viable and that his claim was not…
Court Upholds Finding That Civil Defendant Was Not Injured Worker’s Employer
A New York appellate court ruled that a defendant in a personal injury action was not entitled to relief from a jury’s verdict finding it was not the employer of…
IAIABC Names Heather Lore Executive Director
The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions on Wednesday named Heather Lore its new executive director. Lore has been serving as interim director since Jennifer Wolf resigned in January. “Heather…
Girlfriend of Worker Killed in Wildfire Gets Restitution Award From Uninsured Employer
A California appellate court upheld a restitution award for the girlfriend of a worker who was killed while working for an uninsured employer during a wildfire, but the court overturned…