A California appellate court ruled that the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board lacks jurisdiction to act on a petition for reconsideration more than 60 days after it was filed. Joseph Mayor worked…

A California appellate court ruled that a subcontractor on a construction project was not entitled to pursue payment for its work because it failed to maintain workers’ compensation coverage. Case: American Building Innovation LP…

An injured worker’s 2023 medical malpractice action was time-barred because more than three years had passed since she underwent the physical therapy that allegedly caused the additional injuries, a California…

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California’s Actuarial Committee will review insurer experience reports during a meeting Tuesday. Committee members will discuss the report evaluating insurer experience as of June 30,…

A California appellate court ruled that the Privette doctrine shielded a general contractor from civil liability to a subcontractor’s injured employee. Case: Luna v. Crane Development Corp., No. D081692, 09/20/2024, unpublished. Facts:…

Pacific Workers’ Compensation Law Center in Oakland hired Yuvanna M. Davis as a workers’ compensation attorney. Yuvanna M. Davis The firm said Davis has a strong background in workers’ rights and…

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill delaying by two years the implementation of a universal workers’ compensation coverage requirement for all contractors. The bill Newsom signed Sunday also includes a…

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California on Thursday announced the promotion of Tony Milano to executive vice president and chief actuary. Tony Milano “Tony’s promotion to our Senior Leadership…

For the second time, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said a Southern California judge failed to consider the fair market value of services provided in ordering restitution or…

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee is meeting virtually on Oct. 16. The 2015 bill that directed the DWC to create a prescription drug formulary also created…

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited a farm labor contractor $17,550 for violating heat illness prevention standards. Cal/OSHA said it opened an investigation into Ruiz Farm Labor in…

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation opened a second 15-day comment period on a proposal to incorporate Medi-Cal’s reimbursement rules into its pharmacy fee schedule. In addition to technical corrections, the…

A federal appellate court ruled that a contractor who hired a crane company’s services was immune from civil liability for injuries suffered by an employee of the crane company. Case: Hall v.

A federal appellate court has again ruled that a contractor was immune from civil liability for injuries suffered by an employee of a crane company it hired. Case: Hall v. SAC…

The owner of a Georgia tax preparation business was charged with 23 counts of insurance fraud and two counts of deceptive practices for allegedly selling workers’ compensation insurance without being…

The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled that an employer can face civil liability for the death of an employee who was shot at work by a colleague. Solo Cup Operating Corp.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed bills creating a new venue for legacy claims and covering public safety workers with mental health claims that aren’t accompanied by a physical injury. Stitt on…

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that an employer may not contractually create common-law negligence liability by setting additional nonemployer roles or capacities when the liability is based on the same physical…

The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission provided contact information for the newly created court that will hear legacy claims from before the 2014 reforms that created the state’s administrative program. Gov. Kevin…

The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission announced personnel updates and changes in contact information within the Court of Existing Claims. The commission said Katrina Stephenson, who will become judicial liaison and order…

The U.S. Department of Labor's federal Black Lung Program has set outreach events for current and former coal miners with disabilities related to black lung disease in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. Miners' families and…

The Workers Compensation Research Institute is holding a 30-minute webinar on June 6 to discuss the impact of excessive heat on workplace injuries. WCRI recently released a study measuring the extent…

A federal appellate court ruled that it had no jurisdiction over a petition for review of a denial of survivor’s benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act filed one day…

A federal appellate court ruled that an administrative law judge did not err in relying on a regulatory preamble to support an award of black lung benefits to a veteran…

A federal appellate court upheld an award of black lung benefits to a coal industry employee despite the administrative law judge’s evidentiary error. Case: Coastal Coal Co. LLC v. Harrison, No.

A divided federal appellate court overturned an award of black lung benefits to a coal miner based on an administrative law judge’s misapplication of the burden of proof for a legal…

Physician assistants and nurse practitioners would be authorized to treat injured federal workers under a bill being debated in the U.S. House of Representatives. HR 618, by Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., would add…

A federal appellate court upheld an award of compensation under the Black Lung Benefits Act to a worker, finding that the time he spent as a truck driver was “substantially…

The Travelers Cos. said a review of more than 1.2 million work comp claims from 2017 to 2021 revealed that overexertion was the most frequent cause of injury, but slips,…

A federal appellate court created a split among the circuits on whether the parent company of a self-insuring coal mine operator can be held liable for black lung benefits owed…

A federal appellate court upheld the denial of a coal miner’s third claim for black lung benefits. Case: Hitt v. OWCP, No. 23-1916, 08/15/2024, unpublished. Facts: Robert Hitt worked in the coal…

A federal appellate court rejected an employer’s petition for review of black lung benefits to a miner’s widow. Case: Harman Mining Corp. v. Bartley, No. 22-2283, 08/20/2024, unpublished. Facts: Jerry W. Bartley…

The U.S. Labor Department said it received more than $350,000 in back wages for workers at a Michigan construction company who were misclassified as contractors and for a truck driver…

The U.S. Labor Department on Thursday announced that it awarded $12.7 million to 102 nonprofits throughout the country to pay for educational and training initiatives aimed at improving workplace safety. Funds…

The U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals denied an employer’s challenge to an award of black lung benefits to a longtime coal mine employee. Case: Consol of Kentucky Inc. v. Adams,…

The Massachusetts Appeals Court upheld the summary dismissal of a worker’s civil suit against his employer and a colleague who had accidentally struck him with a truck while he was…

Federal workplace safety investigators fined a Massachusetts waterproofing contractor $283,115 for safety violations they say led to a worker's death. Gerceir Osvaldo DeFaria, 51, was killed in February 2024 when part…

The Virginia Court of Appeals upheld a denial of benefits to a worker for his injuries from falling from a scaffold, finding he was an independent contractor. Case: Pineda v. Dante…

The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a denial of benefits to a worker for an alleged back injury. Case: Cecil v. Pepsi-Cola Metropolitan Bottling Co., No. 24-ICA-53, 07/30/2024, unpublished. Facts:…

A federal appellate court rejected an employer’s challenge to the deadlines for submitting evidence to contest its liability for black lung benefits. Case: Hobet Mining Co. v. Workman, No. 23-1126, 08/02/2024,…

A divided West Virginia Supreme Court upheld an increase in a worker’s award for a back injury. Case: Murray American Energy Inc. v. Falcone, No. 22-0489, 08/01/2024, published. Facts: Brandon Falcone suffered…

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld an increase in a worker’s award of benefits for a back injury. Case: ACNR Resources Inc. v. Knight, No. 24-ICA-121, 09/04/2024, unpublished. Facts: Matthew Knight…

A federal appellate court upheld an award of black lung benefits for a longtime coal miner. Case: Consol PA Coal Co. v. OWCP, No. 23-1892, 09/17/2024, unpublished. Facts: Stephen Hela worked as an…

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the denial of permanent partial disability benefits for a worker with a back injury. Case: Helmandollar v. Blackhawk Mining LLC, No. 23-430, 09/30/2024, published. Facts: Marion Helmandollar…

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a school worker’s claim of injury from a child tapping her on the head. Case: Hill v. Wyoming County Board of…

The Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited trucking Wayne Transports Inc. after a worker died in a confined space. Justin Erickson, 39, was found dead in the tank of a tanker…

The Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld the summary dismissal of a worker’s civil suit against his supervisor for his injuries from motor vehicle accident caused when the supervisor fell asleep…

Colorado’s Pinnacol Assurance urged the state’s employers to be proactive in reviewing and enhancing their vehicle safety protocols, saying heavily traveled roads during summer months increase the risk of accidents. Pinnacol…

The Texas Workers' Compensation Research and Evaluation Group released a new report on access to care in the Lone Star State's workers' compensation system between 2017 and 2022. This report measures the availability…

A divided Texas appellate court upheld the summary dismissal of a widow’s intentional tort claims arising from her husband’s fatal motor vehicle accident in Oklahoma. Justin Schneider worked for QES Pressure…