An Ohio appellate court rejected an employer’s challenge to a loss-of-use award to a worker who underwent a partial surgical amputation of his foot. Case: State ex rel. Randstad North America…

An Ohio appellate court ruled that an employer was not entitled to relief from an enhanced award of benefits to a worker because it violated a specific safety regulation. Keith Rice…

An Ohio appellate court rescinded a worker’s award of permanent total disability benefits, finding he had engaged in fraud by collecting compensation while he was working. Kenneth G. Holbrook worked for…

An Ohio appellate court upheld the dismissal of a worker’s intentional tort claim against his employer for injuries from an unguarded table saw. Multi-Cast Corp. defaulted on its obligations to its…

An Ohio appellate court upheld an award of permanent partial disability benefits for a cancer-stricken firefighter. Case: State ex rel. City of Cincinnati v. Industrial Commission, No. 23AP-332, 10/17/2024, published. Facts: Michael…

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled that an administrative law judge’s order awarding temporary total disability benefits to an injured worker was interlocutory and not appealable. Case: Spencer County Fiscal Court v.

The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a worker’s challenge to the termination of her temporary total disability benefits as time-bared. Case: Arndt v. Jefferson County Public Schools, No. 2023-SC-0377-WC,…

The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld an award of benefits for a worker for a back injury with psychological overlay. Case: Laboratory Corporation of America v. Smith, No. 2023-SC-0479-WC, 08/22/2024, published. Facts: Hunter…

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld an award of benefits for a worker with a cumulative trauma back injury. Case: Martin Marietta Materials Inc. v. Stamper, No. 2024-CA-0727-WC, 08/23/2024, unpublished. Facts: James Stamper…

The Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled that an insurance carrier had no obligation to pay a worker's medical bills that were submitted more than 45 days after the treatments were rendered. Case: Shepherd…

The Kentucky Department of Insurance approved an 8.4% average loss cost reduction for policies incepting in 2025. The department said this is the 19th consecutive rate decrease. Kentucky Insurance Commissioner Sharon…

A divided South Dakota Supreme Court ruled that a worker was entitled to permanent total disability benefits for his electric shock injuries, finding he developed both a cardiac condition and…

The Montana Workers’ Compensation Court granted summary judgment denying a worker’s request for additional temporary total disability benefits because he failed to offer objective medical findings of his alleged chronic headaches. Case:…

A Florida appellate court overturned a judge’s decision denying an employer’s motion for costs as a prevailing party on a worker’s claim. Frances Smith worked for the Palm Beach County School…

A police officer in Clearwater, Florida, was arrested after investigators allegedly observed him engaging in activities that contradicted the limitations he cited when seeking workers’ compensation benefits and a disability…

A Florida appellate court overturned a judge’s determination that an employer was not entitled to recover the full amount of its lien against an injured worker's third-party settlement. Regina Akins suffered…

A federal appellate court upheld a defendant’s conviction for a long-running and lucrative kickback scheme but overturned the restitution order that had been imposed. Case: U.S. v. Young, Nos. 20-13091 and…

Florida's Chief Financial Officer is asking the state's 1st District Court of Appeal to revisit its definition of heart disease under a 2023 decision dealing with presumptive claims by first…

Federal prosecutors in Florida announced that five people were indicted on fraud charges for an alleged labor contracting scheme that was structured to avoid payroll taxes and comp coverage. The U.S.

An Arizona appellate court upheld a determination that a worker was entitled to additional treatment as he had not reached a medically stationary state. Case: Tenet Health System Medical v. Industrial…

The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s request to reopen his claim arising out of a car accident. Case: Parr v. Industrial Commission, No. 1 CA-IC 23-0018,…

The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a worker’s request for a hearing as untimely despite his claim that he had never received notice that his employer’s insurance carrier…

The Industrial Commission of Arizona is holding its 2024 Claims Seminar Aug. 15-16 in Scottsdale. The seminar will cover topics including an overview of state work comp statutes, the role of…

The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that a worker’s request for hearing was properly dismissed, given her failure to adhere to deadlines and failure to participate in discovery and a…

A Louisiana appellate court ruled that the state insurance guaranty association was liable for covering the obligations of two insolvent insurance carriers for a worker’s mesothelioma. Case: Ehlers v. Ports America…

The Louisiana Association of Self Insured Employers is holding a one-day seminar covering the basic principles of medical injuries commonly seen in workers’ compensation. The seminar will cover how to review…

A Louisiana appellate court upheld an award of benefits for a worker with carpal tunnel syndrome and ruled that his employer was not entitled to an offset against its liability. Case: Caldwell…

A Louisiana appellate court overturned a finding that a worker’s stiff person syndrome was not related to her work accident, and a finding that she was capable of engaging in gainful employment…

A Louisiana appellate court ruled that res judicata did not bar a school district employee’s intentional tort claim against a colleague even though she received a workers’ compensation settlement for her…

The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that an injured worker lost his ability to pursue a civil suit he had filed under a false name and an illegally obtained identity. Rafael Antonio…

The South Carolina Supreme Court reinstated an award of permanent total disability benefits for a worker who lost the use of his back, despite the low impairment ratings he had received. Case: Paulino…

The South Carolina Court of Appeals upheld the summary dismissal of a worker’s defamation claim against his employer for alleged statements made after he appeared to suffer an on-the-job injury. Case:…

The South Carolina Court of Appeals upheld an award of permanent partial disability benefits to an injured deputy sheriff. Case: Crowley v. Darlington County, No. 2022-000282, 06/26/2024, unpublished. Facts: Michael Crowley worked…

The South Carolina Court of Appeals ruled that an injured nurse was entitled to benefits for a closed period and that the Workers’ Compensation Commission erred in calculating her average weekly wage. Rachel…

The South Carolina Supreme Court seized an opportunity to clarify the statutory review process for workers' compensation cases in addressing an injured correctional officer’s long-pending claim. Gena Cain Davis worked as…

The South Carolina Court of Appeals overturned a grant of summary judgment dismissing a lawsuit against an employer and its in-house nurses, alleging that they failed to provide adequate treatment to a…

The South Carolina Court of Appeals upheld a 10% penalty against an employer for its late payment of a worker’s award. Case: Jefferson v. South Carolina Department of Transportation, No. 2019-001643, 09/11/2024,…

The Kansas Court of Appeals ruled that an injured truck driver’s award for a knee injury was not subject to offset due to prior leg injuries. Case: Cregger v CLW Farms Inc.,…

The Kansas Court of Appeals upheld a decision of the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board denying a government employee’s request for a modification of her award. Case: Jackson v. Johnson County, No.

The Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruled that the attorney and law firm hired to represent a man on solely his workers’ compensation claim did not have a duty to advise…

Research Highlights: People living in neighborhoods with more environmental adversities, including pollution, toxic sites, high traffic and few parks, had higher rates of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease risk factors. This association ...

Research Highlights: Treating gum disease within three months after a heart procedure to correct an irregular heart rhythm, known as atrial fibrillation (AFib), may lower the chances of it reoccurring. Inflamed gums may predict AFib recurrence after...

Statement Highlights: Patient-centered care establishes a respectful partnership among the health care team, the patient and caregivers to make shared decisions about management tailored to the patients’ beliefs, preferences and...

Research Highlights: Almost 1 in 5 adults with congenital heart disease living in Israel had or developed an abnormal heart rhythm over five years. Adults with congenital heart disease who developed an irregular heart rhythm in the heart’s upper...

Research Highlights: Middle-aged Black women with better heart health were less likely to show a decline in mental function compared with middle-aged Black women with worse heart health. In this study, heart health was unrelated to cognitive decline...

Guideline Highlights: The new joint guideline from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology provides recommendations to guide clinicians in the treatment of patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) and ...

Aspectos destacados de la guía: La nueva guía conjunta de la American Heart Association (la Asociación Americana del Corazón) y el American College of Cardiology ofrece recomendaciones para guiar a los médicos en el tratamiento de pacientes con...

Statement Highlights: Palliative medication management focuses on providing relief from symptoms and enhancing quality of life for people with cardiovascular disease throughout the various stages of the disease. Decisions about initiating, adjusting...

Aspectos destacados de la declaración: El manejo de los medicamentos paliativos se enfoca en el alivio de los síntomas y en la mejora de la calidad de vida de las personas con enfermedades cardiovasculares en las distintas etapas de la enfermedad. La...