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Federal Court Upholds Damage Award for Carrier's Breach of Contract

The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that an employer was entitled to more than $541,000 in damages for its insurance carrier’s breach of contract. Case: MVT Services LLC v. Great…




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WCA Announces Judicial Appointment of Doug Christopherson

The New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration announced that Doug Christopherson was appointed as the agency's newest judge. Doug Christopherson Christopherson will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Leonard Padilla in…




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Worker on Snow-Removal Duty Gets Benefits for Injuries From Fall

The New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division ruled that a worker was entitled to benefits for his injuries from falling while taking a dip in a hotel pool. Case: Terhune v.




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Bill Would Increase Cap on Contingency Fee

New Jersey lawmakers are considering raising fees for attorneys who represent injured workers. The Senate last week voted 27-9 to pass bill S2822/A3986, which would increase the cap on attorney fees…




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Court Upholds Denial of Caregiver's Request for Amended Complaint, Dismisses Claims

The New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division upheld the denial of a caregiver’s request to amend her complaint as well as the dismissal of her claims against her alleged employers. Case:…




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DOL Announces $13,500 Settlement With Contractor for Preventable Death

The U.S. Department of Labor announced a $13,500 settlement with a New Jersey contractor it says could have prevented a fatal fall. The department said a 39-year-old worker fell five stories…




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Contractor Faces $819,417 in Penalties for Fall Hazards

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed $819,417 in penalties for a New Jersey contractor that it says has a history of exposing workers to potentially deadly fall hazards. OSHA…




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Court Upholds Summary Dismissal of Civil Claim From Ladder Accident

The Superior Court of New Jersey’s Appellate Division upheld the summary dismissal of a worker’s civil claim for injuries he allegedly sustained on a construction project. Case: Gjana v. Daibes Enterprises…




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Summary Judgment Not Warranted on Worker's Claim for Parking Garage Fall

The New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division overturned a grant of summary judgment dismissing a hospital worker’s suit for damages from a fall in a parking garage. Case: Barrett v. Hackensack…




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Carrier Has No Duty to Defend Employer From Intentional Tort Claims

The New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division ruled that a carrier had no duty to defend an employer against an injured worker’s intentional tort claims. Case: De Tapia v. 74 Industries…




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Widow Gets Award for Delivery Driver's Death from Being Crushed by Own Cargo

The New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division upheld an award of benefits to the widow of a worker who was crushed to death by the cargo he was delivering. Case: Urena…




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Court Says Violation of Safety Rules Alone Doesn't Constitute Intentional Harm

The Appellate Division of New Jersey’s Superior Court affirmed a trial court’s decision granting summary judgment that dismisses an intentional harm case, saying the injured worker failed to clear the high…




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Worker Fails to Allege Viable Claims for Discrimination, Retaliation

A federal appellate court ruled that an injured worker failed to allege a viable claim of disability discrimination or workers’ compensation retaliation. Case: Wraith v. Wayfair Inc., No. 23-2400, 09/11/2024, unpublished. Facts:…




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Supreme Court Says Injured Police Officers Must Repay Sick Leave Benefits to City

The New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled that a group of injured police officers were obligated to repay the sick leave benefits they received while awaiting a determination of their eligibility…




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Employers Denied Reimbursement From Second Injury Fund Must Get Hearing

The Supreme Court of New Hampshire ruled that an employer or insurance carrier that has been denied reimbursement from the Special Fund for Second Injuries is entitled to a hearing before…




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Attorney for Injured Worker Fails to Negotiate Fee for Himself in Settlement

The Delaware Superior Court ruled that the attorney for an injured worker was not entitled to demand a fee from a settlement that did not provide a payment to him. Case:…




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Supreme Court Upholds Denial of Benefits to Poultry Plant Worker for COVID-19 Infection

The Delaware Supreme Court upheld a denial of benefits to a poultry plant worker for his occupational disease claim based on a COVID-19 infection. Case: Fowler v. Perdue Inc., No. 412, 2023,…




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Governor Signs Bill Allowing Commissioner to Adopt Criteria for Safety Program Discount

Delaware Gov. John Carney signed a bill allowing the insurance commissioner to adopt criteria for employers to qualify for a workplace safety program that aims to provide lower workers’ compensation…




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Report: Former Postal Worker Sentenced to Probation for Fraud

A former U.S. Postal Service worker in Delaware was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay nearly $94,000 in restitution for defrauding the federal workers’ compensation program,…




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Court Upholds Denial of Coverage for Amazon Employee's Back Surgery

The Delaware Superior Court upheld the denial of coverage for an Amazon employee’s back surgery, finding that his workplace injury did not necessitate the operation. Case: Hoskins v. Amazon.com, No. N23A-06-004…




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Court Reverses Finding That Worker Failed to Exhaust Reasonable Conservative Treatment

The Delaware Superior Court overturned a determination that an injured worker failed to exhaust reasonable conservative measures to treat his knee injury before opting for surgery. Case: Baxter v. Verizon Communications,…




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Court Upholds Finding That Truck Driver Was Ag Worker Not Covered by Comp

The Delaware Superior Court said the Industrial Accident Board did not err when it held that a truck driver was a farmworker and therefore not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits…




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Labor Department Posts Practice Guidelines Online

The Delaware Department of Labor adopted rules allowing it to post the Workers’ Compensation Oversight Panel’s health care practice guidelines on its website. In May, the department proposed repealing regulations that…




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New Law Expands Eligibility for Safety Program, Premium Discounts

More Delaware employers will be able to participate in the state’s Workplace Safety Program and earn premium discounts, under a new law. Senate Bill 306, enacted by Gov. John Carney in…




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Commissioner Announces 8.4% Loss Cost Decrease

Delaware Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro on Wednesday announced that voluntary market loss costs will decrease by an average of 8.4% on Dec. 1. At the same time, the commissioner announced an…




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Court Upholds Finding on Compensability for Knee Injury, Overturns PTD Award

The Nebraska Court of Appeals upheld a finding of compensability for a worker’s knee injury, but overturned the award of permanent total disability benefits as unsupported by adequate factual findings. Case:…




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Injury Claims Increase Slightly for Third Year

The total number of reported injuries increased for a third consecutive year in 2023, according to the latest annual statistical report published by the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court. The WCC said…




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Court Upholds Award for Assembly Line Worker With Neck, Finger Injuries

The Nebraska Court of Appeals upheld an award of benefits to an assembly line worker for her neck and finger injuries. Case: Mendoza v. Honeywell American Meter Co., No. 23-807, 05/28/2024,…




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Dispute Over Worker's MMI Status Doesn't Allow Employer to Dodge Penalty

The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that an employer was properly penalized for failing to make an indemnity payment to an injured worker because of a dispute over when and if…




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WCC Activates Web-Based Data Entry App for DRG Reports

The Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court activated its web-based data entry application for diagnostic related group reports. The Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Act requires covered hospitals, workers’ compensation insurers, self-insured employers and risk…




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Lack of Evidence Connecting Worker's Alleged Injury to Job Results in Denial of Claim

The Nebraska Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s claim because she failed to demonstrate a causal connection between her alleged injuries and her workplace accident. Case: Chavez v. Tyson…




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Supreme Court Upholds Award for Housekeeper's Respiratory Injury

The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld an award of benefits to a housekeeper for a respiratory injury brought on by wearing a used face mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. Case: Prinz v.




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Grain Operator Fined $536,965 for Combustible Dust Hazards

Federal workplace safety inspectors fined a grain operator in Nebraska $536,965 for exposing workers to fire and explosion risks by allowing combustible dust to accumulate. U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration…




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Court Says Board Applied Wrong Standard of Proof to Deny Worker's PPD Claim

Hawaii’s Intermediate Court of Appeals overturned the denial of a worker’s claim for permanent partial disability benefits, finding that the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board imposed the wrong standard…




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Appeal Can't Be Rejected as Untimely Without Evidence of When Decision Was Mailed

The Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations cannot reject an appeal as untimely based on its “sent” date for a decision without direct evidence that…




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HEMIC Declares $5M Dividend

Hawaii Employers’ Mutual Insurance Co. announced a $5 million dividend for qualifying policyholders. The carrier said the dividend will be the largest in its history and brings to $53 million the…




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Court Rejects Worker's Bid for Increase in PPD Award

Hawaii’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld an award of permanent partial disability benefits for a worker’s knee injuries. Case: Noborikawa v. Host International Inc., No. CAAP-20-0000172, 09/20/2024, unpublished. Facts: Carrie N. Noborikawa…




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AI Beats Humans on Unsolved Math Problem

Large language model does better than human mathematicians trying to solve combinatorics problems inspired by the card game Set




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The Most Important Unsolved Problem in Computer Science

Here’s a look at the $1-million math problem at the heart of computation




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Inside Mathematicians' Search for the Mysterious 'Einstein Tile'

The quest for the einstein tile—a shape never seen before in mathematics—turned up even more discoveries than mathematicians counted on




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Podcasts of the Year: Cleo, the Mysterious Math Menace

In 2013 a new user named Cleo took an online math forum by storm with unproved answers. Today she’s an urban legend. But who was she? A 2023 editor's pick. 




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Simple Math Creates Infinite and Bizarre Automorphic Numbers

Squaring numbers can have surprising consequences




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Math Explains Why Your Friends Are More Popular Than You

The inspection paradox makes sense of social networks, long train wait times and why the call center is always busy 




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This Nomadic Eccentric Was the Most Prolific Mathematician in History

The bizarre life and legacy of Paul Erdős, the most prolific mathematician ever




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A Wild Claim about the Powers of Pi Creates a Transcendental Mystery

Mathematicians cannot determine whether multiplying pi by itself repeatedly might produce a whole number




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These Numbers Look Random but Aren't, Mathematicians Prove

A new mathematical proof helps show whether a sequence of numbers is “pseudorandom”




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Tomorrow's Quantum Computers Threaten Today's Secrets. Here's How to Protect Them

Researchers are racing to create codes so complex that even quantum computers can’t break them




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Scientists Destroy Illusion That Coin Toss Flips Are 50–50

Researchers go to great lengths to prove a tiny bias in coin flipping




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How String Theory Solved Math's Monstrous Moonshine Problem

A concept from theoretical physics helped confirm the strange connection between two completely different areas of mathematics




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The Strangely Serious Implications of Math's 'Ham Sandwich Theorem'

A simple solution to gerrymandering crumbles when confronted with math’s ‘ham sandwich theorem’