High Court Strikes Down Parts of New Workers' Comp Law

By Bill Kidd, Central Bureau ChiefThe Oklahoma Supreme Court has struck down two sections of a workers' compensation reform bill passed by lawmakers this year, including provisions limiting service as independent medical examiners to medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy.The court also eliminated provisions of the new statute that changed the standard for review of workers’ compensation claims from “a preponderance of the evidence” to “clear and convincing evidence.” The rest of the law, passed as Senate Bill 878, was not affected by the decision.The court...