California lawmakers passed a bill that, if approved by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would allow county park rangers to collect full salary-continuation benefits in lieu of temporary disability for up to…

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 Assembly voted to send Gov. Gavin Newsom a bill that would create the presumption that heat injuries and illnesses arose out of employment for agricultural workers whose employers…

The California Legislature passed a bill that would increase salaries for Insurance Department fraud investigators. The Senate on Aug. 26 voted 32-7 to pass AB 2872, which had not been amended…

The California Assembly passed a bill that would require some doctors who perform utilization reviews to be licensed in the state. The Assembly on Thursday voted 54-13 to pass SB 636,…

California lawmakers closed out the 2024 legislative session by passing a bill that would allow electronic signatures on all work comp documents, and a bill requiring that doctors who do utilization review on claims…

The Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board issued an en banc decision Wednesday consolidating five cases to resolve a dispute over how to split fees between an injured worker’s current and former…

A trial court did not abuse its discretion when it reviewed new medical reports finding that a man was unable to return to work and in ordering San Francisco’s retirement system to…

California’s labor-management advisory panel is scheduled to meet Sept. 27 in Oakland. Members of the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation are slated to hear a presentation from representatives…

The Governing Committee for the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau will review pending legislative, regulatory and judicial actions during a Sept. 25 meeting. Committee members will hear reports on the annual…

California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed bills that would have required some utilization review doctors to be licensed in the state and would have increased salaries for fraud investigators at the…

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…

Average charged rates increased in the first six months of 2024, suggesting recent rate declines are flattening, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California said in its latest quarterly…

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…

The California Workers' Compensation Institute said certain benefits will increase by about 3.8% next year because of an increase in the state's average weekly wage. The average wage in California increased…

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 California Division of Workers' Compensation on Friday said it completed the process of upgrading its Workers' Compensation Information Servers. WCIS is ready to receive and process production data files daily,…

The Georgia Court of Appeals upheld a finding that the state Insurers Insolvency Pool did not have a right to reimbursement from the insurer of a business using a staffing…

The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled that a worker’s settlement of his compensation claim against his employer did not preclude him from pursuing a civil suit against alleged third-party tortfeasors…

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 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…

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…

The U.S. Department of Labor released a proposed rule that would require employers to develop an injury and illness prevention plan to control heat hazards in workplaces affected by excessive…

The U.S. Department of Labor will host an informational session in Lisle, Illinois, to discuss benefits available under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act. The program provides lump-sum payments and…

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…

Amazon warehouses are particularly unsafe during Prime Day and the holiday season because the company disregards safety protocols so workers can keep up with the high volume of orders, according…

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed an employer’s challenge to a decision of the Benefits Review Board remanding a worker’s motion to modify his partial disability award under…

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 ruled that the former attorney for a claimant seeking benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act could not seek an award of fees after…

The U.S. Department of Labor is seeking nominations for four positions on the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. The department said it is seeking one public representative, one…

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services updated its work comp set-aside reference guide to add expand a section that addresses coordinating benefit payments with other health insurers. CMS on…

The federal Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs is holding a basic orientation course Aug. 21 for providers recently authorized to render medical treatment and evaluations for injured federal workers. The program will…

The National Insurance Crime Bureau has set its Workers’ Compensation and Medical Investigations Conference for Oct. 1-4 in Chicago. The event's goal is to provide training and networking for insurance professionals, including…

Tower MSA Partners is holding a webinar Oct. 2  covering the ins and outs of Medicare set-asides. Dan Anders The program will cover topics including the appropriate time to obtain a…

The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee passed a bill that would authorize physician assistants and nurse practitioners to treat injured federal workers. The committee on Wednesday voted 12-3…

Goldberg Segalla announced the addition of new attorneys to its workers' compensation defense offices in Philadelphia and Baltimore. Beteley T. Mulatu The firm added Angelina Nordeman to its work comp practice…

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 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 Iowa Supreme Court on Friday suspended the license of a Des Moines-area sole practitioner with a long history of discipline involving the mishandling of two workers’ compensation matters. The court…

The Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled that an insurance company that was not contributing any assessments to the Workers’ Compensation Trust Fund was still eligible for reimbursement for benefits paid to…

The Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents announced that employers must use and display a revised employee notice form, starting Sept. 16. Employers are required to fill out the posters by providing…

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 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…

Two senators in Connecticut announced plans to introduce legislation that would treat substance abuse as an occupational hazard. “If a worker is injured on the job, they receive treatment, but if…

The National Council on Compensation Insurance recommended an average 6.1% cut in voluntary loss costs for Connecticut in 2025. NCCI also proposed a 6.2% average reduction in the assigned risk market…

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 a determination that a firefighter with an aortic aneurysm had presumptively occupational heart disease. Case: Hanover County v. Moore, No. 0715-23-2, 07/09/2024, unpublished. Facts: Scott Moore…

The National Council on Compensation Insurance submitted a rate filing recommending that the Virginia State Corporation Commission reduce loss costs by 12%, effective April 1. The filing also recommends a 15.8%…