CA - Newsom Proposes Tightening Criteria for SIBTF Claims
02/06/2026 | 0
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing reforms to the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund that would make it harder for injured workers to qualify for benefits.
The governor's proposal is included in a budget trailer bill posted to the Department of Finance website on Monday.
Jason Marcus, legislative chairman for the California Applicants' Attorneys Association, said the governor's proposal represents a significant policy change that should be vetted through the normal legislative process and not part of budget negotiations.
"We don't believe such a major re...
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A California appellate court found that an injured worker’s employer was entitled to relief from a default judgment entered against it, and that its individual owners were not subject to civil liability to the worker.
Case: Pena v. Inter Stone Tools Inc., No. B333308, 02/03/2026, unpublished.
Facts: Hector Javier Pena worked for Inter Stone Tools Inc. His job duties included working with acetone. One day, while he was working, the acetone ignited, causing him to suffer burn injuries.
Procedural history: After Pena determined that Inter Stone did not have workers’ comp...
A California appellate court ruled that workers’ compensation exclusivity barred a county employee’s civil claims based on his injuries from using an allegedly modified piece of equipment to do his job.
Case: Razo v. County of Orange, No. G064631, 01/03/2026, unpublished.
Facts: Alejandro Razo worked for Orange County Public Works, and his job involved cleaning debris from various locations.
One day, his supervisor instructed him to use a “vactor truck” that had an attached hose fitted with an allegedly modified nozzle for spraying highly-pressurized water. Razo...
A New York appellate court ruled that the defendant in a Labor Law action should have been granted summary judgment dismissing a worker’s claim for injuries allegedly sustained while cutting down a tree.
Case: Peterkin v. Westchester Parks Foundation Inc., No. 2021-07774, 01/21/2026, published.
Facts: Douglas Peterkin worked for the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation. He allegedly was injured while cutting down a tree in Kensico Dam Plaza.
According to Peterkin, he had been working from an elevated bucket when he was struck by a portion of the tree he ...
I recently had the chance to speak to a group of workers' compensation professionals from around the nation. They are each involved with self-insurance, a term that has evolved over the years that I have been involved in this community.
Some are surprised when they are reminded that the vast majority of obligations in the workers' compensation law are the employer's. There is a habitual reference in this community to the "employer/carrier," and certainly, there are contractual obligations between employers and carriers. By this contracting, the employer...
The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of a doctor’s civil claims against a hospital and both of his employers for his injuries from a fall.
Case: Sattenberg v. University Medical Center Inc., No. 2024-CA-0017-MR, 01/16/2026, unpublished.
Facts: Ronald Sattenberg worked as a radiologist. In August 2011, he allegedly fell over exposed cords at University Medical Center and suffered injuries.
At the time, Sattenberg was dually employed by University Radiological Associates and the University of Louisville.
Procedural history: Sattenberg filed workers’ compensation cla...
CT - Bill Seeks New Worker Safety Protocols for Warehouses
Connecticut lawmakers on Wednesday introduced legislation aimed at strengthening workplace protections and data transparency for employees in warehouse distribution centers.
SB 92 would impose new employer obligations regarding performance quotas, employee access to productivity data, and anti-retaliation safeguards.
Under the proposal, which would take effect Oct. 1, 2026, employers operating large warehouse facilities — defined as those with at least 250 employees at a single location or 1,000 across multiple sites — would be required to provide written descriptions of any work...
The fight over restitution stemming from an MRI kickback scheme is poised to return to an appellate court after a Southern California judge ordered Sam Solakyan to pay 10 carriers more than $4 million.
Attorneys for Solakyan on Monday filed with the U.S. District Court for Southern California a notice that they're appealing the amended restitution order and judgment that U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia Bashant entered Jan. 20.
The order denied Solakyan's request for a jury trial on restitution and rejected his claim that the government's pursuit of restitution constitutes v...
Sacramento, CA [December 10, 2025] Today, POWER proudly announced its official launch as a laser-focused non-profit organized to take direct action against fraud and criminal activity in California's temporary staffing industry.
"One of the biggest crimes taking place in California's workforce is hiding in plain sight. The temporary staffing industry has become a largely unregulated playground for cri...
The Illinois Appellate Court upheld an award of benefits to a worker for injuries sustained when he fell from a pallet.
Case: Source One Staffing v. IWCC, No. 24L4548, 01/16/2026, unpublished.
Facts: Ciro Servin Cabrera worked for Source One Staffing. In October 2019, he was assigned to a distribution warehouse. While Cabrera was standing on a pallet, someone operating a pallet jack struck it. This caused him to lose his balance and fall.
On Nov. 4, 2019, Cabrera saw Dr. Mukeshchandra Patel, who ordered him to take time off from work.
In December 2019, Cabrera saw Dr. Matthew Ross, wh...
A New York appellate court ruled that a delivery driver’s Labor Law claims against a hospital should have been dismissed and that the hospital’s third-party claims should also have been dismissed.
Case: Russell v. Lenox Hill Hospital, No. 154970/19, 01/15/2026, published.
Facts: Rad Source Technologies Inc. hired a delivery service company to transport a blood irradiator machine to Lenox Hill Hospital.
James Russell worked for the delivery service, and he got the assignment. When he arrived at Lenox Hill, the loading dock supervisor told him that the delivery truck was too ...
A New York appellate court ruled that a worker was entitled to summary judgment on his Labor Law claims for his injuries from a fall.
Case: Rojas v. 616 First Avenue LLC, No. 2023-03551 and 2023-12134, 01/14/2026, published.
Facts: Victor Rojas allegedly sustained injuries from a fall while working on a construction project.
According to Rojas, he was attempting to nail a piece of wood to a beam in order to level plywood before concrete was poured. The wood shifted, causing him to fall.
Although Rojas was wearing a harness, its line extended 15 to 20 feet and did not stop his fal...
The Maryland Appellate Court ruled that a worker’s application for modification of her award was time-barred.
Case: Remmes v. State, No. 2026, 01/14/2026, unpublished.
Facts and procedural history: Jennifer Remmes worked for the Maryland State Police. She suffered injuries at work in 2011.
The Workers’ Compensation Commission determined that the injury was compensable and authorized medical treatment.
In 2018, Remmes reopened her claim to modify her award, which resulted in an additional award. She received her last payment of compensation in May 2018.
In April 2023, Remmes&rs...
A bill introduced Tuesday in Iowa would double how much the state can reimburse itself for legal services connected to administering the workers' compensation second injury fund, which could affect long-term funding calculations for the program.
SB 3107 would amend Iowa law to raise the annual cap on reimbursements paid from the second injury fund to the state attorney general’s office, doubling from $450,000 to $900,000.
The bill also would require the reimbursement amount to be adjusted annually based on changes in the Consumer Price Index, with adjustments ro...
The California Workers' Compensation Institute opened registration for its 62nd annual meeting, being held March 26 in Sacramento.
The theme of the 2026 meeting is "When Old Models No Longer Hold." The event will examine the cyclical nature of workers' compensation, where California's system is in the current cycle and how developing economic and political dynamics will shape the direction of the system in the years to come.
Sarah Bohn, vice president of research and senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, will provide an update on the California...
After more than a week of unanswered questions, the California Division of Workers' Compensation on Tuesday confirmed that Administrative Director George Parisotto has retired from state service.
Parisotto's last day at the helm of the DWC was Friday, and the position will remain vacant until the governor appoints a replacement, a DWC spokesperson said in the first substantive response to questions about the director's status since Jan. 22.
WorkCompCentral reached out to the DWC on Jan. 22 to confirm or refute reports that Parisotto was leaving at the end of the month, and to...
