The Utah Court of Appeals ruled that a worker can receive benefits for injuries she sustained from an idiopathic fall while she was working — if the injuries were made more…

The Wyoming Supreme Court upheld the denial of additional treatment and benefits to a field engineer for her left foot and ankle complaints. Case: Zheng v. Wyoming, No. S-23-0277, 07/19/2024, published. Facts…

The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that the state's Workers’ Compensation Division has the authority to order reimbursement of an employee’s reasonably incurred medical expert witness fees. Case: Leal v. State ex…

The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that a man's heart attack on his third day of work was not due to clearly unusual or abnormal employment stress for those in his…

The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services proposed a 12% reduction in workers’ compensation base rates for 2025. The department said the rate cut is possible in part because of House Bill…

The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled that a worker could proceed with a civil suit against her employer stemming from an attack by a co-worker and multiple members of…

The North Carolina Court of Appeals upheld a finding that an injured airline employee was not entitled to additional benefits for his knee issues or mental health conditions. Case: Pierson v.

The North Carolina Court of Appeals sent a worker’s claim for disability benefits back to the Industrial Commission for further findings. Case: Bailey v. Southern Lithoplate Inc., No. COA24-55, 08/20/2024, unpublished. Facts:…

A law requiring the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and self-insured public employers to pay for diagnostic testing after air ambulance workers are exposed to certain hazards takes effect today. Gov.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation said a 7% rate cut for private employers took effect Monday. The 7% rate cut, which the BWC said would save employers about $67 million,…

A divided Ohio appellate court rejected the recommendation of a magistrate and issued a writ of mandate compelling the Industrial Commission to overturn its denial of an injured worker’s claim…

An Ohio appellate court ruled that if a worker’s injury results in the severance of some part of the proximal phalanx, the injury must be treated as a loss of…

An Ohio appellate court ruled that a worker should have been granted an enhanced award of benefits for his employer’s violation of a specific safety requirement for shoring trenches. Curtis Berry…

The Ohio Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a widow timely filed her claim for benefits for a worker’s death from an occupational disease caused by his asbestos exposure…

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation announced that a handful of rules are up for review. The BWC said its claims procedure rules in Chamber 4123-3, as well as the miscellaneous…

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation announced that the owner of an electrical service company pleaded guilty to workers’ compensation fraud and has paid restitution of nearly $16,000. BWC’s Special Investigations Department received…

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 denial of a worker’s claim for permanent total disability benefits, finding that she had some residual work capacity. Case: Lee v. Industrial Commission, No. 22AP-446,…

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation announced it is offering up to $30 million in funding for safety grants to support research and development of equipment and technology to protect…

The Kentucky Court of Appeals ruled that the mediation scheme established by statute and regulation is discretionary, not mandatory. Case: Duke v. GE Haier, No. 2024-CA-0098-WC, and Long v. Universal Linen,…

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the denial of total disability benefits to an injured electrician. Case: Blaker v. The Kroger Co., No. 2024-CA-0553-WC, 07/26/2024, unpublished. Facts: Robert Blaker Jr. worked for…

Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance on Monday announced a $19.1 million dividend. The workers’ compensation carrier said more than 12,000 policyholders will receive a 20% dividend when checks are distributed in August. “Our…

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the compensability of a former news reporter’s self-developed treatments for a decades-old back injury. Case: Paxton Media Group v. Hammond, No. 2023-CA-0807-WC, 08/30/2024, unpublished. Facts and…

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…

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the calculation of a worker’s average weekly wage that includes a lump sum of vacation pay with her wages, and it denied review of the…

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 ruled that the Department of Labor & Industry needed to make a finding as to the reasonableness of a worker’s refusal to attend a therapy…

The Montana Department of Labor and Industry proposed rules that would add intentional misclassification to the list of violations that justify assessing the maximum penalty. The department will hold a hearing…

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:…

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill allowing police and firefighters with injuries that are presumed to be compensable to select a doctor and increasing the provider’s reimbursement to twice…

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…

The Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation published the state's 2024 medical fee schedule. The schedule of maximum reimbursement allowances for physician and nonhospital services takes effect Jan. 1. The fee schedule is…

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…

Federal workplace safety investigators cited Circle K Stores Inc. for failing to provide a safe place of employment after a cashier suffered a serious gunshot injury during a robbery. Two men…

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…

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited two contractors that it said could have prevented a fatal accident if they followed workplace safety rules. Jorge De La Torre, 27, died…

Arizona lawmakers on Wednesday passed an amended bill requiring instead of allowing the use of the drug commonly known as ecstasy to treat first responders with post-traumatic stress disorder. The state House…

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 Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that an administrative law judge committed an abuse of discretion in denying a worker’s request for relief from the dismissal of her hearing due…

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…

The Industrial Commission of Arizona announced that Joanna Martelles was chosen to serve in the newly created position of Safety and Health Program manager. The new position will be tasked with…

The Arizona Industrial Commission announced that it's Medical Resource Office has added training opportunities for providers, payers and third-party administrators. The training course for providers is comprised of four, 30-minute webinars…

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…

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker did not qualify as a Jones Act seaman. Case: Edwards v. InterMoor Inc., No. 23-30727, 08/29/2024, unpublished. Facts: Lawrence…

A Louisiana appellate court overturned a judge’s decision approving a worker’s change of physician but upheld the denial of the employer’s request for a forfeiture of benefits. Case: Southern v. Servpro…

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…