The Supreme Judicial Court of Maine ruled that an employer was entitled to take the full Social Security offset against its obligation for a worker’s benefits even though it was…

The Supreme Judicial Court of Maine ruled that a widow could not pursue a civil suit against her late husband’s co-worker for throwing a punch that led to his death, nor…

The board of directors for Maine-based workers’ compensation carrier MEMIC Group approved an $18.7 million dividend. The dividend announced Wednesday represents about 11% of the premiums policyholders paid in 2021, the…

The Tennessee Court of Appeals upheld the summary dismissal of a worker’s claims asserting that he was the victim of a fraudulent scheme to designate him as an employee instead of…

The Alabama Supreme Court issued a writ of mandamus compelling a trial court to dismiss the breach-of-contract and bad-faith claims against an insurance carrier arising out of a roofing worker’s…

The Alabama Supreme Court summarily denied a worker’s challenge to the dismissal of her retaliatory termination claim over the dissent of a justice who argued that the court should have…

The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals ruled that an employer could not be relieved of its obligation to provide continuing medical treatment to an injured worker after she aggravated her…

The Alabama Supreme Court overturned a $3 million judgment in a wrongful death case, finding that a worker’s failure to realize a safety device was missing from a machine was…

The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals revived an insurance provider's claim for reimbursement from a widow's wrongful death settlement. Timothy Tumlin worked for L&C General Contractors Inc. He died as a…

The Utah Court of Appeals ruled that a worker’s claim for permanent total disability benefits could not be thrown out as untimely because he was actively litigating the matter, nor could…

The Utah Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker with a long history of health issues was entitled to temporary disability benefits for a closed period after an…

The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that the state's Workers’ Compensation Division has the authority to order reimbursement of an employee’s reasonably incurred medical expert witness fees. Case: Leal v. State ex…

The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled that a worker could proceed with a civil suit against her employer stemming from an attack by a co-worker and multiple members of…

The North Carolina Court of Appeals sent a worker’s claim for disability benefits back to the Industrial Commission for further findings. Case: Bailey v. Southern Lithoplate Inc., No. COA24-55, 08/20/2024, unpublished. Facts:…

An Ohio appellate court issued a limited writ of mandamus overturning an enhanced award of benefits against a borrowing employer for a worker’s chemical burns. Case: State ex rel. Liberty Steel…

An Ohio appellate court upheld the summary dismissal of a worker’s intentional tort claim accusing his employer of allegedly causing his accident by removing the safety feet from the ladder…

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation said a 7% rate cut for private employers took effect Monday. The 7% rate cut, which the BWC said would save employers about $67 million,…

An Ohio appellate court issued a limited writ of mandamus directing the Industrial Commission to determine a worker’s entitlement to temporary total disability benefits for a period of unemployment. Case: State…

An Ohio appellate court rejected an employer’s challenge to a loss-of-use award to a worker who underwent a partial surgical amputation of his foot. Case: State ex rel. Randstad North America…

An Ohio appellate court ruled that an employer was not entitled to relief from an enhanced award of benefits to a worker because it violated a specific safety regulation. Keith Rice…

The Ohio Supreme Court said a trial court used the wrong standard to determine that a worker’s unobserved fall arose out of employment and remanded the case for additional proceedings. The…

An Ohio appellate court upheld the dismissal of a public university worker's civil suit against his employer for injuries from a fall on a campus walkway. Case: Marzan v. University of…

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that an administrative law judge’s order awarding temporary total disability benefits to an injured worker was interlocutory and not appealable. Case: Spencer County Fiscal Court v.

The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a worker’s challenge to the termination of her temporary total disability benefits as time-bared. Case: Arndt v. Jefferson County Public Schools, No. 2023-SC-0377-WC,…

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld an award of benefits to an injured assembly line worker, plus medical benefits and a three-multiplier. Case: General Motors LLC v. Smith, No. 2024-CA-0367-WC, 07/12/2024,…

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the denial of total disability benefits to an injured electrician. Case: Blaker v. The Kroger Co., No. 2024-CA-0553-WC, 07/26/2024, unpublished. Facts: Robert Blaker Jr. worked for…

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear reappointed two members to the committee that nominates candidates for vacant workers’ compensation administrative law judge positions. Beshear reappointed Grover Arnett and Kenneth Dietz to the Workers’…

Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance on Monday announced a $19.1 million dividend. The workers’ compensation carrier said more than 12,000 policyholders will receive a 20% dividend when checks are distributed in August. “Our…

The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld an award of benefits for a worker for a back injury with psychological overlay. Case: Laboratory Corporation of America v. Smith, No. 2023-SC-0479-WC, 08/22/2024, published. Facts: Hunter…

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the compensability of a former news reporter’s self-developed treatments for a decades-old back injury. Case: Paxton Media Group v. Hammond, No. 2023-CA-0807-WC, 08/30/2024, unpublished. Facts and…

The Kentucky Court of Appeals remanded a worker’s claim for permanent total disability benefits to an administrative law judge for the fourth time because of deficiencies in the causation analysis. Case:…

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…

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…

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…

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 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…

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…

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…

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…

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 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 upheld an award of permanent partial disability benefits to an injured deputy sheriff. Case: Crowley v. Darlington County, No. 2022-000282, 06/26/2024, unpublished. Facts: Michael Crowley worked…

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…

The South Carolina Court of Appeals upheld a 10% penalty against an employer for its late payment of a worker’s award. Case: Jefferson v. South Carolina Department of Transportation, No. 2019-001643, 09/11/2024,…