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No Additional Treatment, Benefits for Injured Mine Worker

The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld the denial of additional treatment and temporary total disability benefits for an injured mine worker. Case: Polinski v. Consol Bailey Mine WV, No.




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Court Revives PTD Application for Mine Worker Struck by Ram Car

The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of a worker’s application for permanent total disability. Case: Murray American Energy Inc. v. Harshey, No. 24-ICA-73, 07/30/2024, unpublished. Facts: Dustin Harshey…




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Board Errs in Finding Worker Not Entitled to More Benefits for Second Amputation

The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals ruled that the Workers’ Compensation Board of Review erred in finding that a worker who lost part of his leg was not entitled…




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No Benefits for Worker With Alleged Injuries From Assisting Colleague in Emergency

The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s claim for injuries allegedly suffered while assisting a colleague having a medical emergency. Case: Hollandsworth v. Workforce West…




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Court Says Injured Worker Can Get Additional Physical Therapy

The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a determination that an injured worker was entitled to additional physical therapy for her leg injury. Case: ACNR Resources Inc. v. Goff, No.




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No Benefits for Worker With Inconsistent Accounts of Accident, Delay in Reporting Injury

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 Case: Cecil v. Pepsi-Cola Metropolitan Bottling Co., No. 24-ICA-53, 07/30/2024, unpublished.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:…




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Supreme Court Upholds Award for Worker's Radiation Exposure, Cancer

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld an award of benefits for a worker’s cancer and radiation exposure. Case: West Virginia Division of Highways v. Scott, No. 23-258, 08/01/2024, published. Facts: Larry Scott…




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Employer Loses Challenge to Deadlines for Contesting Black Lung Claims

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,…




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Supreme Court Upholds Award to Worker for Electric Shock Injury

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld an award of benefits to a worker for his electric shock injury. Case: Quanta Services Inc. v. Bolling, No. 23-420, 08/01/2024, published. Facts: Zachary Bolling worked for…




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Supreme Court Upholds Authorization of Pain Management Consultation for Worker

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…




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Supreme Court Allows Worker to Expand Claim

West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that a worker was entitled to the expansion of his claim to add post-concussional syndrome and post-traumatic headaches. Case: Murray American Energy Inc. v. Yost, No.




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Split Supreme Court Upholds Increase in Worker's Award for Back Injury

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…




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Supreme Court Upholds Denial of Worker's Request to Add Mental Injuries to Claim

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…




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Supreme Court Upholds Expansion of Worker's Claim to Add Shoulder Injury

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…




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Supreme Court Upholds Denial of Worker's Request for Additional Benefits, Expansion of Claim

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…




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Supreme Court Upholds Denial of Worker's Request for More Treatment, Benefits

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,…




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Injured Worker Not Entitled to Expand Scope of Claim

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,…




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Supreme Court Upholds PPD Award for Worker With Ankle Injury

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld an award for an additional 22% permanent partial disability to a worker for her ankle injury. Case: Butler v. D&D Quality Care Inc., No. 23-147, 08/01/2024,…




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Supreme Court Upholds Expansion of Worker's Claim to Add New Conditions

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…




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Split Supreme Court Upholds Finding of Worsened Condition for Worker

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,…




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Court Finds Worker Has No Impairment Despite 43 Years of Coal Dust Exposure

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…




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Worker Struck by Forklift Gets Additional PPD Award

The West Virginia Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a finding that a worker was entitled to an additional permanent partial disability award. Case: Zavala v. Concrete Pipe & Precast Martinsburg, No.




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Worker Fails in Bid for PPD Increase

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker was not entitled to an increase in his award for occupational pneumoconiosis. Case: Puleo v. Coronado Group LLC, No.




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Court Upholds Increase in Worker's Award for Back Injury

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…




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Worker Not Entitled to Expand Claim, Receive Additional MRI

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s request to expand his claim and for authorization for a magnetic resonance imaging scan. Case: Hill v. Lowe's Home…




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Court Upholds 1% PPD Award for Worker With Knee Injury

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a 1% permanent partial disability award for a worker’s knee injury. Case: Sesco v. Brooks Run South Mining LLC, No. 24-ICA-138, 09/04/2024, unpublished. Facts: Granville…




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Court Denies Worker's Request to Expand Claim

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s request to expand his claim to include additional conditions. Case: Justice v. Transwood, No. 24-ICA-57, 09/04/2024, unpublished. Facts: Keven Justice…




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Court Reopens Worker's Claim, Orders Development of Additional Evidence

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals overturned the closure of a worker’s claim and ordered that additional evidence be developed as to his preexisting conditions and whether they contributed to his…




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Court Upholds Denial of Worker's Request to Expand Claim

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals ruled that a worker was not entitled to expand the scope of his claim to include additional conditions. Case: Hawkins v. Bimbo Bakeries Inc., No.




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Widow of Worker With Leukemia Gets Award of Death Benefits

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld an award of benefits to the widow of a worker suffering from chronic myelomonocytic leukemia before contracting COVID-19 and dying. Case: PPG Industries Inc.




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Federal Appellate Court Upholds Award of Black Lung Benefits

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…




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Supreme Court Upholds Denial of Worker's Occupational Pneumoconiosis Claim

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the denial of a worker’s occupational pneumoconiosis claim. Case: Lewis v. Columbia West Virginia Corp., No. 23-616, 09/23/2024, published. Facts: Jackie W. Lewis Sr. worked for…




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Supreme Court Upholds Denial of PPD for Worker's Back Injury

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…




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Supreme Court Upholds Denial of Worker's Request to Expand Claim, Undergo Additional Imaging

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the denial of a request to expand the scope of a worker’s claim and for additional imaging. Case: Cook v. Cecil I. Walker Machinery Co.,…




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Supreme Court Upholds Denial of Worker's Request to Reopen Claim

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld the denial of a worker’s request to reopen her claim for temporary total disability benefits, additional medications and a referral to a rheumatologist. Case: Blevins…




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Supreme Court Denies Benefits for Hospital Worker's COVID-19 Infection

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld a denial of benefits for a hospital maintenance worker’s COVID-19 infection. Case: Morrill v. Lifepoint Hospitals Inc., No. 23-461, 09/23/2024, published. Facts: Curtis Morrill was a…




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Supreme Court Upholds Increase in Worker's PPD Award

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld an increase in a worker’s permanent partial disability award for a shoulder injury. Case: ACNR Resources Inc. v. Martie, No. 23-386, 09/23/2024, published. Facts: Patrick Martie…




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Worker Gets No Referral for Evaluation of Noncompensable Condition

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a referral to a neurosurgeon for evaluation of a condition that had not been accepted as compensable in a worker’s claim. Case:…




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Worker Fails to Link Concussion Claim to Actions of Child Tapping Head

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…




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Worker Not Entitled to Increased PPD Award

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker was not entitled to an increase in his permanent partial disability award. Case: Alban v. West Virginia Division of…




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Health Care Worker Gets 0% Award for Injuries

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a determination that an injured worker was entitled to a 0% permanent partial disability award. Case: Gibson v. Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, No. 24-ICA-160,…




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Court Upholds Worker's 1% PPD Award for Knee Injury

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a 1% permanent partial disability award for a worker’s knee injury. Case: Davis v. Charleston Area Medical Center Inc., No. 24-ICA-131, 10/01/2024, published. Facts: Thomas…




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No Increase in Worker's PPD Award for Occupational Pneumoconiosis

West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker was not entitled to an increase in his permanent partial disability award for occupational pneumoconiosis. Case: Lucey v. Murray…




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Worker Can Recover Costs of Medical Treatment by Non-Intervening Providers

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that an injured employee’s right to assert a direct claim for unpaid medical expenses is not precluded by a medical provider’s failure to intervene in…




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Trucking Company Fined After Worker Dies in Confined Space

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…




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Registration for Work Comp Summit Opens Monday

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry announced that it will open registration Monday for its one-day Workers’ Compensation Summit set for Oct. 29. Session topics will include a legislative update…




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Comp Division Seeks Comments on Independent Medical Exam Rules

The Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation is holding a meeting to discuss a preliminary draft of updated rules for the independent medical examination process. Draft rules that the division is considering…




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Exclusivity Doesn't Bar Worker From Suing Employer's Auto Insurance Carrier

The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that when a worker is injured in the course of his employment by the acts of an underinsured third-party tortfeasor, workers’ compensation exclusivity does not bar him…




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DWC Seeks Comments on Proposed Changes to Report Forms

The Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation seeks public comment on changes to a trio of report forms. The division said it has updated the following forms to conform to the agency’s standards,…




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Temp Worker Can't Maintain Tort Suit Against Employer's Client

A Texas appellate court ruled that a temporary employment provider’s employee could not pursue a civil remedy against his employer’s client for an on-the-job injury. Case: Waeli v. BWFS Industries LLC,…