An official with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) noted three troubling workers’ compensation trends that could affect injured or sick workers. Christopher Godfrey, director of the DOL Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, noted on the DOL’s blog that the number of workers covered by workers’ compensation has decreased, states are paying fewer total benefits […]
An injured worker can’t get workers’ compensation benefits for the time he refused to work since his employer offered him employment within his medical restrictions, according to a Florida appeals court. The worker was denied benefits for the six weeks he refused to work, but the court did award benefits for a period of time […]
Do injured workers need pre-authorization before using workers’ compensation benefits for Uber services to travel to and from medical appointments? No, they don’t, according to the Virginia Court of Appeals. In a November 1, 2022 decision, the court found that an injured worker could be reimbursed for travel expenses to and from medical appointments via […]
A worker who suffered a back injury is unable to re-open her workers’ compensation claim despite having ongoing back pain, according to the West Virginia Supreme Court. Because her ongoing pain wasn’t related to her compensable back injury, the claim couldn’t be re-opened, the court said. Updated list of conditions mentions lumbar sprain Lisa Gibson […]
An iron worker who was injured in a fall can’t collect workers’ compensation benefits since he tested positive for marijuana, according to the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Because marijuana was found in his system immediately following the incident, the appeals court found his injury wasn’t compensable. Fell 20 feet, struck a lift on the way […]
The owner of two California cleaning companies and his son were charged in a $12 million workers’ compensation fraud scheme. Edgardo Cabrales Sr., owner of Pine Building Maintenance and Network Facility Management, and his son, Edgar Cabrales Jr., were each charged with five felony counts of insurance fraud after a California Department of Insurance investigation. […]
An injured worker can collect workers’ compensation benefits despite the fact his employer insisted all of its employees were independent contractors. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals found that since the worker was paid hourly, used tools owned by the employer and received instruction on what jobs to complete from the employer, he was […]
Can a truck driver who was injured on a customer’s property while on break and performing a personal errand collect workers’ compensation benefits? An Arizona appeals court found that he could since he was injured while still within the course of his employment. Injured while using forklift as transportation Gordon McChesney was a truck driver […]
Can an injured truck driver collect workers’ comp benefits if he failed to disclose that he self-published several books while recovering from his injury? A New York appeals court found the driver’s failure to disclose his self-published books warranted a temporary suspension, but not a permanent disqualification of future benefits. Authored, published number of books […]
