The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the denial of coverage for a worker’s opioid medication. Case: Howell v. Floyd County Board of Education, No. 2024-CA-0122-WC, 10/18/2024, unpublished. Facts and procedural history: Judy…

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that a traveling worker was entitled to benefits for her injuries from a fall while leaving her hotel to go souvenir shopping. Kimminee Costello worked for…

A divided South Dakota Supreme Court ruled that a worker was entitled to permanent total disability benefits for his electric shock injuries, finding he developed both a cardiac condition and…

The Montana Workers’ Compensation Court ruled that the Department of Labor & Industry needed to make a finding as to the reasonableness of a worker’s refusal to attend a therapy…

The Montana Department of Labor & Industry announced that the maximum weekly compensation rate will increase by 4.84% for the fiscal year starting July 1. “For injuries occurring on or after July…

The Montana Department of Labor and Industry proposed rules that would add intentional misclassification to the list of violations that justify assessing the maximum penalty. The department will hold a hearing…

The Montana Workers’ Compensation Court granted summary judgment denying a worker’s request for additional temporary total disability benefits because he failed to offer objective medical findings of his alleged chronic headaches. Case:…

A Florida appellate court ruled that a judge erred in failing to find that a worker’s claim for additional benefits was time-barred. Case: American Airlines Group v. Lopez, No. 1D2023-0379, 05/22/2024,…

A Florida appellate court overturned a judge’s decision denying an employer’s motion for costs as a prevailing party on a worker’s claim. Frances Smith worked for the Palm Beach County School…

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill allowing police and firefighters with injuries that are presumed to be compensable to select a doctor and increasing the provider’s reimbursement to twice…

A Florida appellate court ruled that a judge of compensation claims erroneously calculated a minor league baseball player’s average weekly wage. Austin Sodders entered into a seven-year minor league contract with…

A police officer in Clearwater, Florida, was arrested after investigators allegedly observed him engaging in activities that contradicted the limitations he cited when seeking workers’ compensation benefits and a disability…

The Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation published the state's 2024 medical fee schedule. The schedule of maximum reimbursement allowances for physician and nonhospital services takes effect Jan. 1. The fee schedule is…

A Florida appellate court overturned a judge’s determination that an employer was not entitled to recover the full amount of its lien against an injured worker's third-party settlement. Regina Akins suffered…

The Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation posted a notice of development of rulemaking to implement the most recent edition of its health care provider fee schedule and related documents. The DWC…

A federal appellate court upheld a defendant’s conviction for a long-running and lucrative kickback scheme but overturned the restitution order that had been imposed. Case: U.S. v. Young, Nos. 20-13091 and…

Florida’s Statewide Nominating Commission for Judges of Compensation Claims will meet Aug. 19 in Orlando to interview judges for reappointment. The following judges are being considered for reappointment: William Anderson; Robert…

Federal workplace safety investigators cited Circle K Stores Inc. for failing to provide a safe place of employment after a cashier suffered a serious gunshot injury during a robbery. Two men…

The National Council on Compensation Insurance recommended that the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation reduce workers’ compensation rates by an average of 1%, effective Jan. 1. NCCI said in a summary…

Florida's Chief Financial Officer is asking the state's 1st District Court of Appeal to revisit its definition of heart disease under a 2023 decision dealing with presumptive claims by first…

Federal prosecutors in Florida announced that five people were indicted on fraud charges for an alleged labor contracting scheme that was structured to avoid payroll taxes and comp coverage. The U.S.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited two contractors that it said could have prevented a fatal accident if they followed workplace safety rules. Jorge De La Torre, 27, died…

A Florida appellate court ruled that an employer should have been granted a continuance after its medical expert expressed an unforeseen change in opinion shortly before the scheduled hearing on…

An Arizona appellate court upheld a determination that a worker was entitled to additional treatment as he had not reached a medically stationary state. Case: Tenet Health System Medical v. Industrial…

The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s request to reopen his claim arising out of a car accident. Case: Parr v. Industrial Commission, No. 1 CA-IC 23-0018,…

The Industrial Commission of Arizona is holding its 2024 Claims Seminar Aug. 15-16 in Scottsdale. The seminar will cover topics including an overview of state work comp statutes, the role of…

The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that an administrative law judge committed an abuse of discretion in denying a worker’s request for relief from the dismissal of her hearing due…

The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that a worker’s request for hearing was properly dismissed, given her failure to adhere to deadlines and failure to participate in discovery and a…

The Industrial Commission of Arizona announced that Joanna Martelles was chosen to serve in the newly created position of Safety and Health Program manager. The new position will be tasked with…

The Arizona Industrial Commission announced that it's Medical Resource Office has added training opportunities for providers, payers and third-party administrators. The training course for providers is comprised of four, 30-minute webinars…

A Louisiana appellate court ruled that a worker injured while participating in a jousting demonstration was exempt from coverage under the state Workers’ Compensation Act as a “performer.” Case: McKeane v.

A Louisiana appellate court upheld the summary dismissal of a municipal employee’s suit against her employer for her injuries from a fall allegedly caused by the city’s negligence in maintaining…

A Louisiana appellate court ruled that the state insurance guaranty association was liable for covering the obligations of two insolvent insurance carriers for a worker’s mesothelioma. Case: Ehlers v. Ports America…

Louisiana lawmakers passed a bill that would establish notice requirements for carriers to seek additional premium payments from employers that misclassified their workers and limit how much insurers can recover. Rep.

The Louisiana Association of Self Insured Employers is holding a one-day seminar covering the basic principles of medical injuries commonly seen in workers’ compensation. The seminar will cover how to review…

A Louisiana appellate court upheld an award of benefits for a worker with carpal tunnel syndrome and ruled that his employer was not entitled to an offset against its liability. Case: Caldwell…

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker did not qualify as a Jones Act seaman. Case: Edwards v. InterMoor Inc., No. 23-30727, 08/29/2024, unpublished. Facts: Lawrence…

A Louisiana appellate court overturned a judge’s decision approving a worker’s change of physician but upheld the denial of the employer’s request for a forfeiture of benefits. Case: Southern v. Servpro…

A Louisiana appellate court overturned a finding that a worker’s stiff person syndrome was not related to her work accident, and a finding that she was capable of engaging in gainful employment…

A Louisiana appellate court ruled that res judicata did not bar a school district employee’s intentional tort claim against a colleague even though she received a workers’ compensation settlement for her…

The Louisiana Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal of a decision finding that a man injured while jousting was excluded from the state's workers' compensation system. On Tuesday, a 6-1…

A Louisiana appellate court ruled that an injured firefighter’s benefits were wrongly reduced and that he was entitled to full reinstatement, plus an award of penalties and attorney fees. Case: Prevost…

The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that an injured worker lost his ability to pursue a civil suit he had filed under a false name and an illegally obtained identity. Rafael Antonio…

The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission adopted new benefit payment rules after lawmakers permitted the agency to allow electronic payments. The commission on Friday published a statement announcing that the new…

The South Carolina Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s claim for permanent total disability benefits. Case: Cox v. Palmetto State Transportation, No. 2019-001936, 05/29/2024, unpublished. Facts: Jennie Cox allegedly…

The South Carolina Supreme Court reinstated an award of permanent total disability benefits for a worker who lost the use of his back, despite the low impairment ratings he had received. Case: Paulino…

The South Carolina Court of Appeals upheld the summary dismissal of a worker’s defamation claim against his employer for alleged statements made after he appeared to suffer an on-the-job injury. Case:…

The South Carolina Court of Appeals ruled that an injured nurse was entitled to benefits for a closed period and that the Workers’ Compensation Commission erred in calculating her average weekly wage. Rachel…

The South Carolina Supreme Court upheld a finding that a worker was entitled to benefits for a back injury, but it questioned the continued viability of its case law allowing…

The South Carolina Supreme Court seized an opportunity to clarify the statutory review process for workers' compensation cases in addressing an injured correctional officer’s long-pending claim. Gena Cain Davis worked as…