A California appellate court revived a worker’s claims against his employer for harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Jose Rivera worked for FSC Corp. at Il Pastaio restaurant in Beverly…

A California appellate court ruled that an employer was entitled to relief from its default in a dispute over allegedly unpaid workers’ compensation premiums. Case: Creditor’s Adjustment Bureau Inc. v. Bathe,…

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…

California Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted legislation allowing carriers to continue using prepaid debit cards for payment of temporary and permanent disability benefits. At the same time, the governor vetoed a bill…

A California appellate court overturned a jury verdict in favor of a railway, finding that the trial judge prejudicially erred in excluding the testimony of an injured worker’s expert witness. Terrence Richard…

About 15% of COVID-19 claims with medical payments involved treatment for long COVID symptoms, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California reported. More than one in seven COVID-19 claims filed…

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California announced that Andrea Coleman will succeed Bill Mudge as president and CEO next year. Andrea Coleman Coleman’s promotion will take effect Feb. 1,…

The California Workers’ Compensation Institute reported that a nearly eightfold increase in migraine drug prescriptions coincided with the emergence of several high-cost drugs that are not included in the formulary. “Although…

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 Applicants’ Attorneys Association opened registration for its annual winter convention, which will be held in Las Vegas Jan. 23-26. Panelists speaking during the conference will cover a variety of…

The California Division of Workers' Compensation posted an order updating the hospital outpatient department and ambulatory surgical centers section of the Official Medical Fee Schedule. The division in October posted an…

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…

The California Highway Patrol announced that a former captain was arrested on suspicion of workers' compensation insurance fraud and theft. Matthew Stover, 51, was arrested without incident in Folsom Thursday on…

Declines in opioid use among injured workers exceeded the decline among the overall population from 2017 to 2023, the California Workers' Compensation Institute reports. CWCI said data from the state's Controlled…

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that a worker was partially disabled by carpal tunnel syndrome and the Workers’ Disability Compensation Appeals Commission should address whether she received an overpayment…

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…

A federal appellate court ruled that a contractor who hired a crane company’s services was immune from civil liability for injuries suffered by an employee of the crane company. Case: Hall v.

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 11th U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the City of Atlanta was entitled to summary judgment dismissing an injured worker’s retaliation claims against it. Case: Fripp v. City of Atlanta,…

Federal workplace safety inspectors fined a tire maker in Georgia $271,930 for safety violations allegedly uncovered during the investigation of a fatal accident. Steven Brookins, 57, died April 10 at a…

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that if a worker is injured as a passenger in an employer-owned vehicle, and workers’ compensation exclusivity precludes a recovery under the automobile liability policy, the…

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that an employer may not contractually create common-law negligence liability by setting additional nonemployer roles or capacities when the liability is based on the same physical…

A divided Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that an employee who injures a colleague must be acting within the course and scope of employment when the incident occurs to receive the…

The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Court of Existing Claims is implementing a preliminary review docket for active cases pending as of July 1. The court’s preliminary review docket will be held at…

The Arkansas Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker was entitled to additional treatment for a foot injury, as well as the Workers’ Compensation Commission’s calculation of her…

California’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau and the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission on Wednesday announced plans to launch new websites. The Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission announced that it will unveil its…

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…

A federal appellate court ruled that an administrative law judge did not err in relying on a regulatory preamble to support an award of black lung benefits to a veteran…

AppliedVR appointed Michael Marsau as its executive director of workers’ compensation. Michael Marsau Marsau is overseeing the launch of the company’s flagship RelieVRx prescription therapeutic into the workers’ compensation market, the…

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 Workers Compensation Research Institute is holding a 30-minute webinar Aug. 1 to discuss key findings from its study of interstate variation and trends in work comp drug payments. The WCRI…

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 software update that grounded airplanes and disrupted hospitals worldwide Friday also wreaked havoc on workers’ compensation regulators in some states. Officials from Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York,…

The U.S. Department of Labor said a federal court in Washington state issued an injunction preventing the U.S. Postal Service from retaliation against employees. The department said the injunction was part…

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…

The Workers’ Compensation Division of Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Cos. appointed Marj Hutchings as its chief information officer. Marj Hutchings Hutchings brings 35 years of technology experience, 27 of which are in…

Shipping giant Maersk Line Ltd. agreed to end a policy requiring workers to notify the company of any safety concerns before contacting the Coast Guard, the U.S. Department of Labor announced. Maersk…

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 Travelers Cos. said a review of more than 1.2 million work comp claims from 2017 to 2021 revealed that overexertion was the most frequent cause of injury, but slips,…

The U.S. Department of Labor announced that the federal court for the Northern District of New York found that an ophthalmologist and his practice illegally fired a worker who complained…

A federal appellate court created a split among the circuits on whether the parent company of a self-insuring coal mine operator can be held liable for black lung benefits owed…

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…

A federal appellate court rejected an employer’s petition for review of black lung benefits to a miner’s widow. Case: Harman Mining Corp. v. Bartley, No. 22-2283, 08/20/2024, unpublished. Facts: Jerry W. Bartley…

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is holding a reporting webinar Sept. 12. The program will cover best practices and reminders for non-group health plans that are required to…

The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions opened registration for its 2024 Judicial Program being held Oct. 29-30. The program, presented by IAIABC with the National Association on Workers’…

The U.S. Labor Department said it received more than $350,000 in back wages for workers at a Michigan construction company who were misclassified as contractors and for a truck driver…

CompIQ Solutions and Bardavon announced a partnership to create an automated referral process for injured workers who need specialized care. The companies said they were integrating CompIQ’s IQSymphony claims portal with…

The U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals denied an employer’s challenge to an award of black lung benefits to a longtime coal mine employee. Case: Consol of Kentucky Inc. v. Adams,…

The Workers Compensation Research Institute opened registration for its 2025 annual Issues and Research Conference being held March 6-7 in Phoenix. Ramona Tanabe WCRI said it will present findings from its…