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Carrier Has Duty to Cover Property Owner for Labor Law Claim

A New York appellate court ruled that an insurance company had a duty to provide coverage to a property owner defending against a Labor Law claim. Case: Arch Specialty Insurance Co.




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Worker Struck by Motorized Bicycles After Happy Hour Event Gets Benefits

A New York appellate court upheld a finding that a worker was entitled to benefits for his injuries from being struck by two motorized bicycles after he left a happy…




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Triable Issues Preclude Summary Judgment

A New York appellate court ruled that an injured worker was not entitled to summary judgment on his Labor Law claims because there were triable issues as to whether his…




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No Summary Judgment for Worker Struck by Falling Materials

A New York appellate court ruled that a worker struck by falling materials was not entitled to summary judgment on his Labor Law claim. Case: Shewprasad v. KSK Construction Group LLC, No.




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Worker Fails to Link Amputation of Leg to Prior Work Accident

A New York appellate court ruled that a worker failed to prove the amputation of his leg was related to his injuries from a fall in 2006. Case: Matter of DiPippo…




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Worker Gets Benefits for Ladder Fall Injuries Despite Intoxication

A New York appellate court upheld an award of benefits for a worker even though he was heavily intoxicated when he fell from a ladder. Case: Matter of Lujan-Espinzo v. Electrical Illuminations by…




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Report: WCB Says Patriots Owe $24,000 for Not Having Comp

The New York State Workers' Compensation Board is trying to collect a $24,000 fine from the New England Patriots for not having workers' compensation coverage, according to a report by…




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Carrier Liable for Worker's Claim After Coverage Ended

A New York appellate court ruled that a carrier was liable for a worker’s claim even though her date of disablement fell after the coverage ended. Though Travelers Indemnity Co. of America's…




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Supreme Court Clarifies Carrier's Rights, Obligations to Collect on Subrogation Lien

The Nevada Supreme Court overturned its own precedent and ruled that an insurance carrier does not need to intervene or otherwise participate in a worker’s third-party claim to recover on…




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Worker's Choice of Pleading Removes Court's Jurisdiction Over Retaliation Claim

The New Mexico Court of Appeals ruled that an injured worker pleaded his retaliation claims in such a way as to remove his case from the jurisdiction of the state…




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Fee Schedule Public Comment Period Opens

The New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration is accepting public comments on the 2025 fee schedule and billing instructions. Written public comments will be accepted until the close of business on Nov. 1 and should be…




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Federal Court Upholds Damage Award for Carrier's Breach of Contract

The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that an employer was entitled to more than $541,000 in damages for its insurance carrier’s breach of contract. Case: MVT Services LLC v. Great…




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WCA Announces Judicial Appointment of Doug Christopherson

The New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration announced that Doug Christopherson was appointed as the agency's newest judge. Doug Christopherson Christopherson will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Leonard Padilla in…




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Worker on Snow-Removal Duty Gets Benefits for Injuries From Fall

The New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division ruled that a worker was entitled to benefits for his injuries from falling while taking a dip in a hotel pool. Case: Terhune v.




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Carrier Has No Duty to Defend Employer From Intentional Tort Claims

The New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division ruled that a carrier had no duty to defend an employer against an injured worker’s intentional tort claims. Case: De Tapia v. 74 Industries…




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Widow Gets Award for Delivery Driver's Death from Being Crushed by Own Cargo

The New Jersey Superior Court’s Appellate Division upheld an award of benefits to the widow of a worker who was crushed to death by the cargo he was delivering. Case: Urena…




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Worker Fails to Allege Viable Claims for Discrimination, Retaliation

A federal appellate court ruled that an injured worker failed to allege a viable claim of disability discrimination or workers’ compensation retaliation. Case: Wraith v. Wayfair Inc., No. 23-2400, 09/11/2024, unpublished. Facts:…




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Employers Denied Reimbursement From Second Injury Fund Must Get Hearing

The Supreme Court of New Hampshire ruled that an employer or insurance carrier that has been denied reimbursement from the Special Fund for Second Injuries is entitled to a hearing before…




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Governor Signs Bill Allowing Commissioner to Adopt Criteria for Safety Program Discount

Delaware Gov. John Carney signed a bill allowing the insurance commissioner to adopt criteria for employers to qualify for a workplace safety program that aims to provide lower workers’ compensation…




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Court Upholds Finding That Truck Driver Was Ag Worker Not Covered by Comp

The Delaware Superior Court said the Industrial Accident Board did not err when it held that a truck driver was a farmworker and therefore not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits…




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Court Upholds Award for Assembly Line Worker With Neck, Finger Injuries

The Nebraska Court of Appeals upheld an award of benefits to an assembly line worker for her neck and finger injuries. Case: Mendoza v. Honeywell American Meter Co., No. 23-807, 05/28/2024,…




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How Cryptographic 'Secret Sharing' Can Keep Information Safe

One safe, five sons and betrayal: this principle shows how shared knowledge can protect secrets—without having to trust anyone




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Inside Mathematicians' Search for the Mysterious 'Einstein Tile'

The quest for the einstein tile—a shape never seen before in mathematics—turned up even more discoveries than mathematicians counted on




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Podcasts of the Year: Cleo, the Mysterious Math Menace

In 2013 a new user named Cleo took an online math forum by storm with unproved answers. Today she’s an urban legend. But who was she? A 2023 editor's pick. 




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Math Explains Why Your Friends Are More Popular Than You

The inspection paradox makes sense of social networks, long train wait times and why the call center is always busy 




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This Nomadic Eccentric Was the Most Prolific Mathematician in History

The bizarre life and legacy of Paul Erdős, the most prolific mathematician ever




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How String Theory Solved Math's Monstrous Moonshine Problem

A concept from theoretical physics helped confirm the strange connection between two completely different areas of mathematics




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The Strangely Serious Implications of Math's 'Ham Sandwich Theorem'

A simple solution to gerrymandering crumbles when confronted with math’s ‘ham sandwich theorem’




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The Decimal Point Is 150 Years Older than Historians Thought

The origin of the decimal point, a powerful calculation tool, has been traced back to a mathematician who lived during the Italian Renaissance




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Carrier Doesn't Have to Treat Worker as Having 'Combined Condition'

The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that an insurance carrier did not have to treat a worker as having a combined condition when none of her impairment was related to her compensable…




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Carrier Must Modify Notice of Acceptance Upon Receiving IME Report

The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that an insurer was obligated to modify its notice of acceptance upon receipt of a report that clearly identified a meniscus tear caused by…




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Court Clarifies When Spouse Doesn't Qualify as Beneficiary of Fatally Injured Worker

The Oregon Court of Appeals clarified when a worker’s spouse falls within an exception to the definition of “beneficiary” because the couple was “living in a state of abandonment” at…




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Roofing Material Supplier Fined $92,226 for Fall Hazards

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division fined a building materials supplier $92,226 for repeatedly failing to protect workers from potential fall hazards that it said could seriously injure or…




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WCRI: Medical Payments Per Claim Higher Than Most States

The Workers Compensation Research Institute reported that medical payments per claim in Indiana were higher than typical among the 17 states included in a recent study. WCRI said its analysis of…




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Penalties by Office of Risk Management Not Subject to Review by Office of Administrative Hearings

The District of Columbia’s highest court ruled that the Office of Administrative Hearings lacks authority to review penalty calculations by the Office of Risk Management. Luigi Buitrago injured his back in…




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Worker Gets PTD for Loss of Vision, Additional PPD for Nonschedule Injuries

The Illinois Appellate Court ruled that a worker was entitled to permanent total disability benefits for the loss of use of the eyes, plus additional permanent partial disability benefits for…




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Federal Court Scolds Insured for Frivolous Contest to Carrier's Entitlement to Payment

A federal appellate court scolded an insured for its frivolous defense during arbitration with its carrier and threatened to sanction the insured for its frivolous challenge to the arbitration award. Case: American…




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Court Upholds Dismissal of Carrier's Garnishment Claim to Collect on Default Judgment

A federal appellate court upheld the dismissal of an insurance carrier’s garnishment claim against another carrier seeking to collect a default judgment against an employer for a workers’ compensation claim. Case:…




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Governor Appoints Magda Derisma-Oyewole as Arbitrator

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday appointed Magda Derisma-Oyewole as an arbitrator for the state Workers’ Compensation Commission. Magda Derisma-Oyewole Derisma-Oyewole has been a practicing attorney since 2015 and focused on…




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Court Upholds Denial of Widow's Claim for Truck Driver's Fatal Heart Attack

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld the denial of a widow’s claim for a truck driver’s fatal heart attack. Case: Dnistranskiy v. Brite Logistics Inc. (WCAB), No. 414 C.D. 2023, 05/10/2024,…




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Worker Left Quadriplegic Fails to Timely Notify Carrier

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that when an injured worker is a sole proprietor, he must report a work-related injury to the insurance carrier for the business within 120…




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Amazon Can't Join Injured Worker's Prior Employer as Defendant to Claim

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that Amazon.com was not entitled to join an injured employee’s prior employer as a defendant in her claim and that she was entitled to…




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Decision Allows Billing Agent to Pursue Civil Claims Against Carriers

Billing agents can pursue payments for workers' comp prescriptions outside of the fee-review process, under a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision. The high court on Tuesday published a split decision in…




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Court Upholds Dismissal of Carrier's Suit Against Claims Administrator, Former Counsel

The Pennsylvania Superior Court upheld the dismissal of an insurance carrier’s breach-of-contract claim against a third-party claims administrator and a malpractice action against the former attorney for the carrier. Case: Pyramid…




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Court Upholds Worker's Award but Remands for Judge to Describe Compensable Injuries

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld an award to an injured worker but sent the case back to the judge to provide a more specific description of the compensable conditions. Case:…




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Court Upholds Finding That Worker Suffered Compensable Aggravation Injuries

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld a finding that a worker sustained a compensable aggravation of his preexisting lumbar spine degenerative disease and lumbar radiculopathy. Case: Chester Water Authority v. Swiggett,…




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WCRI Webinar to Cover System Trends

The Workers Compensation Research Institute is holding a webinar on Oct. 2 to cover key findings from the latest editions of its CompScope Benchmarks and Medical Benchmarks for Pennsylvania, as…




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Court Upholds $15.5 Million Verdict for Worker With Electric Shock Injuries

Pennsylvania’s Superior Court upheld a jury’s $15.5 million award to a worker for his electric shock injuries. Case: Feldman v. CP Acquisitions 25 LP, No. 501 EDA 2023, 09/12/2024, published. Facts: The…




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Railway Worker Fails to Prove Ear Injury, Hearing Loss

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld the denial of a railway worker’s claim of injury to his ear and hearing loss. Case: Patrick v. Velocity Rail Solutions Inc. (WCAB), No. 652…




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Court Reinstates Jury Verdict for Worker on Discrimination Claims

The Missouri Court of Appeals reinstated a jury’s verdicts in favor of an injured worker on his disability discrimination claim. Scott Caldwell worked for the UniFirst Corp. as a district sales…