IA - Worker Who Turned Down Job Limited to Recovery of PPD Benefits
10/30/2026 | 0
The Iowa Court of Appeals affirmed a finding that a worker who turned down a higher-paying job was limited to a recovery of permanent disability benefits based on his functional impairment, but that the workers’ compensation commissioner erred in determining the ratings.
Case: Wooff v. Nine Park Lane Inc., No. 25-1433, 10/21/2026, published.
Facts: Michael Wooff began working for Menefee Drywall, which provides commercial and residential drywalling and finishing services, in 1993.
In August 2019, Wooff reported pain in his neck and shoulder to Menefee. At the time of his injury, Wooff
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The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld a determination that a diabetic worker’s fall caused an injury to his right hip and thigh and a subsequent infection.
Case: Scott Waste Service v. Eaton, No. 2026-SC-0078-WC, 10/22/2026, unpublished.
Facts: Joshua Eaton worked for Scott Waste Service. He fell while working in January 2022. Eaton immediately reported the fall to his supervisor; however, he did not fill out an incident report because his supervisor was busy.
Eaton was 41 at the time and had insulin-dependent diabetes. He had previously been treated for abscesses on his buttocks and
The Oregon Court of Appeals rejected a worker’s challenge to a finding that he had received an overpayment of benefits after he had returned to part-time modified work.
Case: Stacey v. Cascade Steel Rolling Mills-Schnitzer Steel, No. 1010, 10/21/2026, published.
Facts: Johnny Stacey suffered a back injury while working as a crane operator for Cascade Steel Rolling Mills-Schnitzer Steel in July 2023. He returned to part-time modified work as a bundler operator in May 2024.
Cascade used ESIS as its claims administrator, which paid Stacey temporary total disability benefits aft
A New York appellate court ruled that a worker struck by a falling post was entitled to summary judgment on his Labor Law claim.
Case: Liao v. Sheng Sheng Construction Inc., No. 2025-00306, 10/21/2026, published.
Facts: Haoan Liao was injured at a construction site when a 10-foot post fell on him.
Efin Management Corp. and Sheng Sheng Construction Inc. were the general contractors for the project, and HW Manhattan One LLC owned the property under construction.
Procedural history: Liao filed suit against Efin, Sheng and HW, asserting a claim for a violation of Labor Law Section 240(1).
Sec
A publication reports that a bipartisan healthcare resolution is working its way through Congress. It mandates no changes to how healthcare is delivered but seeks to spotlight how systemic inequities harm providers as well as patients.
The bill seeks to establish a National Physician Suicide Awareness Day.
According to the report, and supported by multiple studies and physician surveys, the constant tension between the financial realities of for-profit healthcare systems and the medical needs of patients can take a serious toll on physicians’ mental h
The paper pulp plant where a worker was killed earlier this year has been cited again for safety violations and faces $77,800 in fines from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
L&I's investigation is the second of two that were open after a tank failed on May 26 and left a man dead at Nippon Dynawave's plant in Longview.
In April, a worker had to wade through a sea of pulp as hot as 145 degrees Fahrenheit as it spilled from an unintentionally open valve. The pulp was 3 feet deep, covering a 4-foot sinkhole that the worker fell into. He came da
EverPeak Insurance announced Thursday that it has named Patrick K. Daley as chief underwriting officer.
Daley brings more than three decades of experience managing large, complex and nonstandard risks at major insurance carriers, EverPeak said.
In his new role, he will oversee underwriting strategy and quality standards across EverPeak’s product lines, with initial priorities focused on scaling the middle-market workers' compensation portfolio and relaunching Attune’s Business Owner's Policy product.
Daley most recently served as head of underwriting services at Glat
The Court of Appeals of Georgia ruled that Delta Airlines failed to comply with the requirement to attach a recent medical report establishing that Jorge Lamar had been released to work.
Though Delta cited a July 2023 medical report indicating that Lamar could work with a restriction on lifting more than 15 pounds, the court said the lifting restriction dated to at least September 2022.
"If the 15-pound weight restriction was sufficient to clear Lamar to return to work with restrictions, then the employer/insurer should have provided notice of such release after the first time the docto
The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that an administrative law judge erred by not considering all necessary factors before refusing to lift a sanction dismissing a worker's claim for failure to appear.
Case: Phoenix Karpova v. Industrial Commission of Arizona et al., No. 1 CA-IC 26-0002, 10/27/2026, unpublished.
Facts: Phoenix Karpova was assaulted by a resident at the group home where he worked in July 2024, suffering injuries to his right shoulder, spine and head.
The employer, iCare Adult Day Center, accepted the claim and, in September 2024, closed it based on an independent medical
The Arkansas Court of Appeals affirmed a Workers' Compensation Commission finding that an injured worker failed to prove a connection between a June 2023 workplace incident and her alleged shoulder injuries.
Case: Amanda Engleman v. Washington Regional Medical Center and Risk Management Resources, CV-25-771, 10/28/2026, published.
Facts: Amanda Engleman worked as an operating room circulator for Washington Regional Medical Center. In June 2023, when a patient began sliding from an operating table, she went underneath to support the patient. After pushing upward for three to five minutes,
California workers’ compensation professionals will get an update on significant case law, legislation and regulatory changes shaping the practice in 2027 during WorkCompCentral’s 2026 Case Law Update webinar on Nov. 7.
The half-day program will examine important 2026 decisions, including developments affecting permanent disability ratings, petitions for reconsideration and settlement walk-throughs. The panel will also review legislation enacted in 2026, including the potential impact of reforming eligibility standards for the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund, and regu
In-network care leads the way in the treatment of injured workers in Texas, according to the state Division of Workers' Compensation's 2026 report card.
The DWC said in the report that injured employees within networks receive care sooner, are more satisfied with their treatment, return to the job sooner and have lower healthcare costs.
The report says 22 medical networks were certified to offer comp coverage as of March 10, 2026. Evaluators examined claims with injuries occurring between June 1, 2023, and May 31, 2025.
Findings include:
Non-network average co
NATL. - NCCI: Medical Inflation Edges Up in Comp; Further Hikes Expected
Medical inflation in workers' compensation edged up in the third quarter, and the National Council on Compensation Insurance expects annual price growth to reach 2% to 2.5% over the next several quarters, according to a report released Monday.
NCCI’s Workers' Compensation Weighted Medical Price Index rose 1.2% year over year in September, up from 1% in July and 1.1% in August, according to its October Medical Inflation Insights report.
Hospital outpatient prices helped drive the increase, rising 1.5% in September compared with 0.9% in July. NCCI expects growth in that category
The District of Columbia’s highest court ruled that a worker who proves permanent total disability can receive wage-loss benefits even if the situs of his disability is a schedule member.
Burnice Stackhouse worked for the District of Columbia Department of Public Works. He injured his right ankle in 1993 and began receiving temporary disability benefits from the District of Columbia Workers’ Compensation Program.
In 2020, the Office of Risk Management informed Stackhouse that he was approaching the 500-week statutory cap on temporary disability benefits. Stackhouse was
The Idaho Supreme Court reinstated a worker’s civil suit against a subcontractor on a construction project, finding that a trial judge erred in dismissing the suit as barred by exclusivity.
Case: Bauer v. Scott Myers and Sons Roofing and Construction LLC, No. 52706-2025, 10/22/2026, published.
Facts: Stack Construction LLC was the general contractor on a construction project for an apartment complex. Stack hired Scott Myers and Sons Roofing and Construction LLC as a subcontractor. Stack also hired Evans Plumbing Inc. as a subcontractor.
Alexander Bauer worked for Evans. He suffer
A New York appellate court overturned a partial grant of summary judgment on a worker’s Labor Law claim due to triable issues as to how his accident occurred.
Case: Mema v. Procida Construction Corp., No. 20484/20, 10/20/2026, published.
Facts: Ferid Mema worked for Mastercraft Masonry Inc. He allegedly suffered injuries when a 400-pound beam he was carrying fell on his foot.
Procedural history: Mema filed suit against Procida Construction Corp., asserting claims for negligence and violations of Labor Law Sections 200 and 240(1).
Section 200 codifies the common-law duty to