Goldberg Segalla announced the addition of attorneys to its workers’ compensation defense practice groups in San Francisco and Orange County, California. Lynet’ D. Shigg  joined the firm’s San Francisco practice group,…

California’s 2nd District Court of Appeals published its July decision finding that the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund is required to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that it…

The owner of a vocational school in Los Angeles was charged with fraud for billing carriers for services not provided and allegedly paying illegal kickbacks to vocational counselors for referrals,…

The California Highway Patrol announced that a former officer was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of workers’ compensation fraud. Jordan Lester, 44, filed a work comp claim in July 2021 and was…

California employers could deny an injured worker’s request for time off to get medical treatment for business necessity, under a recently amended bill. Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, on Monday amended…

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation on Tuesday announced that it reopened its district office in San Bernardino, which had been closed since late July to fix an inoperable air conditioner. The…

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 California Chamber of Commerce on Thursday issued a statement urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to veto a bill that would create a presumption of compensability for certain heat-related injuries suffered…

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation said it is closing a virtual district office in Eureka on Oct. 18 and shifting cases to Santa Rosa. Beginning Oct. 1, all hearing requests…

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 Workers’ Compensation Institute published a bulletin listing bills of interest that Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted this year. The bulletin lists bills including AB 1239, which allows carriers to continue…

The California Workers’ Compensation Institute reported that a nearly eightfold increase in migraine drug prescriptions coincided with the emergence of several high-cost drugs that are not included in the formulary. “Although…

The California Division of Workers' Compensation announced standards it will use for profile audit review of adjusting locations next year. The DWC said the PAR performance standard for 2025 audits is…

A California appellate court has ordered the publication of its decision from last month finding that a trial judge prejudicially erred in excluding the testimony of a railway worker’s expert…

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that a worker was partially disabled by carpal tunnel syndrome and the Workers’ Disability Compensation Appeals Commission should address whether she received an overpayment…

The Georgia Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of a widow’s challenge to the denial of her claim for death benefits as time-barred. Case: Coffman v. Barnsley Consulting Group, No. A24A0740,…

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 11th U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the City of Atlanta was entitled to summary judgment dismissing an injured worker’s retaliation claims against it. Case: Fripp v. City of Atlanta,…

The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court of Existing Claims is implementing a preliminary review docket for active cases pending as of July 1. The court’s preliminary review docket will be held at…

ATF Medical appointed Katherine Nelson to serve as vice president of sales. Katherine Nelson Nelson will be based in Las Vegas and oversee the company’s efforts to market mobility and accessibility…

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…

Medical management firm OccMD on Tuesday announced the appointment of Cheryl Killion as the new director of nurse case management effective June 1. Killion has served as a senior nurse case…

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…

The U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals denied review of a railway worker’s challenge to the dismissal of his claim he had been terminated in retaliation for his successful pursuit…

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 National Council on Compensation Insurance said its analysis of impairment ratings in 33 states plus the District of Columbia found that the average whole-body impairment rating for permanently disabled…

The National Council on Compensation Insurance said that after several years of ignoring broader economic patterns, medical inflation in the third quarter followed the softening trend in overall inflation. The softening…

The Iowa Supreme Court overturned a finding that the Second Injury Fund was not liable for a worker’s permanent total disability after she suffered two different leg injuries. Case: Delaney v.

The Iowa Court of Appeals upheld an award of permanent total disability benefits for a worker who experienced issues on his left side after a back injury before symptoms shifted to…

The Iowa Court of Appeals dismissed an appeal from an order staying enforcement of a workers’ compensation award pending judicial review because the review process was completed. Case: H.D. Supply Management Inc. v.

The Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice said it ended an inquiry into a state senator who allegedly did not disclose that he was working while collecting workers’ compensation benefits, saying…

The Connecticut Appellate Court decided that a city was no longer liable for benefits to its former fire chief under a pension offset and that its appeal regarding benefits, interest and…

The Virginia Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s claim for an injury from falling as she turned to speak to a colleague. Case: O’Brien v. Northern Virginia Community…

The Virginia Court of Appeals ruled that an employer could not relitigate the reasonableness of a worker’s mileage expenses from traveling to see a chiropractor 78 miles from his home. John Edelblute…

The Virginia Court of Appeals overturned an award of benefits to a worker who suffered identical foot injuries 11 years apart. Case: HealthSouth Corp. v. Hawthorne, No. 2058-23-3, 09/03/2024, unpublished. Facts: Pamela…

A divided West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the closure of a worker’s claim for temporary total disability benefits and the denial of his request to expand the scope of his…

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:…

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the authorization of a pain management consultation for an injured worker. Case: Murray American Energy Inc. v. Stapel, No. 22-923, 08/01/2024, published. Facts: Sean Stapel worked…

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the denial of a doctor’s request to expand a worker’s claim to add post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety as compensable conditions. Case: Travers v. Blackhawk…

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the expansion of a worker’s claim to add a shoulder injury. Case: Gibson v. Blackhawk Mining LLC, No. 23-178, 08/01/2024, published. Facts: Timothy Gibson worked for…

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the denial of a worker's request for additional benefits and the expansion of her claim. Case: Martin v. Wal-Mart Associates Inc., No. 23-115, 08/01/2024, published. Facts: Irene Martin…

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the denial of a worker’s request for additional treatment and benefits, and the expansion of his claim. Case: Hankins v. Sprouting Farms Corp., No. 22-919,…

The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s request to expand her claim to include additional conditions. Case: Amane v. Pas Parent Inc., No. 23-109, 08/01/2024,…

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the expansion of a worker’s claim to include additional conditions. Case: McKinney v. Little General Store Inc., No. 23-117, 08/01/2024, published. Facts: Marilyn McKinney worked for…

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld a denial of permanent partial disability benefits to an injured worker. Case: Underwood v. West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, No. 23-118, 08/01/2024,…

A divided West Virginia Supreme Court summarily affirmed a finding that a worker had suffered a worsening of his condition attributable to a compensable lumbar injury. Case: ANR Inc. v. Stover,…

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker had a 0% impairment despite his many years of occupational exposure to coal dust. Case: Jarrell v. Blackhawk Mining…