NATL. - WCRI: Mental Health Remains Small Share of Claims as Frequency Rises
09/30/2026 | 0
Mental health claims are accounting for a larger share of workers' compensation cases, but overall, they continue to represent only a small share of systemwide claims, according to a new analysis from the Workers Compensation Research Institute.
WCRI's analysis of mental health claims across 31 states found that, on average, they accounted for 0.3 claims per 100 paid claims from 2015 through 2024. California was a notable outlier, with a rate of mental health claims nearly three times the highest rate among the other states in the study.
The report offers a look at who is filing ment
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An Ohio appellate court ruled that a widow’s appeal of a workers’ compensation benefits denial should be transferred to the proper county rather than dismissed because she filed it in the wrong county.
Case: Hamilton v. Bridgeport Equipment & Tool Ltd., No. L-26-00008, 09/25/2026, published.
Facts: Christina Hamilton’s husband worked for Bridgeport Equipment & Tool Ltd. He suffered injuries in an automobile accident in June 2024 and died in August 2024.
Procedural history: Hamilton filed a claim for death benefits with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
A New York appellate court upheld a grant of summary judgment on a worker’s Labor Law claim for his injuries from a fall from an unsecured ladder.
Case: Rojas v. Riverhead Central School District, No. 2024-09165, 09/23/2026, published.
Facts: Javier Rojas allegedly sustained injuries when, according to him, a ladder shifted under him and caused him to fall while performing roofing work at a building owned by the Riverhead Central School District.
Rojas was an employee of Dynasty RSW LLC. Stalco Construction Inc. was the general contractor on the project.
Procedural history: Rojas fil
West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld the denial of a truck driver’s claim for benefits for occupational pneumoconiosis.
Case: Wood v. Jane Lee Enterprises Inc., No. 26-ICA-74, 09/25/2026, published.
Facts: James Wood filed a claim for benefits for occupational pneumoconiosis in September 2024. He alleged that he had worked as a truck driver for 35 years and that he had worked as a truck driver for Jane Lee Enterprises Inc. until 2024.
Wood underwent pulmonary function testing, which demonstrated moderate obstruction. An X-ray revealed no parenchymal or pleur
A Louisiana appellate court dismissed an employer’s challenge to the award issued to its injured employee because it did not post an appeal bond.
Case: Jason v. JCYNT On Time Logistics LLC, No. WCA 26-507, 09/23/2026, unpublished.
Facts and procedural history: Horatio Jason filed a workers’ compensation claim against JCYNT On Time Logistics LLC, alleging that he broke his foot while exiting a truck at work.
A workers’ compensation judge found that Jason was an employee of JCYNT at the time of the accident; that he had suffered a compensable injury; and that the employ
The New York State Insurance Fund announced Tuesday that it is soliciting information from financial institutions about ways to connect injured workers to low-cost bank and credit union accounts.
"The submitted information may lead to initiatives for NYSIF participants to be directed to banking access opportunities as part of the claim management process, receive financial education and engage with banks and credit unions in their local community," the carrier said in its request for information. "In addition, NYSIF may collaborate with banks and credit unions on communica
In an unpublished decision handed down Monday, a California appeals court held that an employer had not perfected its lien before an injured worker settled and dismissed her case against a third party, leaving the trial court without jurisdiction to order reimbursement.
Jennifer Slamer worked for Southern California Permanente Medical Group and suffered disabling injuries to her respiratory system from exposure to a disinfectant manufactured by Ecolab in February 2016. The medical group settled her workers' compensation claim.
In May 2017, Jennifer Slamer and Christopher Slamer
The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld a determination that expert testimony was not required to establish that a truck driver suffered a compensable injury from his exposure to exhaust fumes that had accumulated in the cab of his truck.
Case: City of Tombstone v. Industrial Commission, No. 1 CA-IC 25-0032, 09/23/2026, unpublished.
Facts: Carlo Agudio worked for the City of Tombstone as a truck operator. On July 31, 2023, Agudio hauled rocks in a dump truck from 8-11 a.m. Unbeknownst to him, a mechanical malfunction caused the cab of the truck to fill with exhaust fumes.
He has no memory of re
The Illinois Appellate Court ruled that an injured worker could not bring a contribution claim against his employer as the assignee of a defendant who had settled his claims against it.
Case: Clark v. F.H. Paschen, Nos. 1-24-0383 and 1-24-1528, 09/24/2026, unpublished.
Facts: Cederick Clark worked for Garth Masonry Corp. He suffered injuries in December 2018 while working at O’Hare International Airport.
Procedural history: Garth filed suit against Milhouse Engineering & Construction Inc. and others, seeking damages.
Milhouse then filed a contribution claim against Clark’s
A New York appellate court upheld a grant of summary judgment for a worker on his Labor Law claim for his injuries from tripping at a construction site.
Case: Berardi v. 900 Third Avenue LP, No. 156323/21, 595095/22, 09/22/2026, published.
Facts: Christopher Berardi worked for Empire Office Inc. He allegedly suffered injuries when he tripped on a torn and crumpled portion of tarp that covered a corridor as he was pushing an A-frame cart to deliver glass windows to newly constructed offices in a renovation project.
The building was owned by 900 Third Avenue LP, and Gannon Contra
West Virginia’s Intermediate Court of Appeals upheld a determination that a worker was not entitled to a permanent partial disability award.
Case: Hill v. Marshall County Coal Resources, No. 26-ICA-99, 09/25/2026, published.
Facts: Ryan Hill worked for Marshall County Coal Resources. He went to the hospital in April 2024, complaining of head and neck pain after having struck his head at work the day earlier.
A computed tomography scan of Hill’s cervical spine revealed mild C4-C5 and C5-C6 degenerative disc disease and no acute fracture. A CT scan of the brain and a chest X-ray d
The Monterey County District Attorney's Office announced that a former California Department of Corrections officer was convicted of workers' compensation fraud after pleading no contest to felony charges.
Lorena Hernandez Alvarado, 43, is scheduled to return to court Oct. 22 for sentencing.
County prosecutors said Alvarado in April 2021 claimed she was injured while working at Salinas Valley State Prison.
Alvarado claimed that she injured her shoulder, neck, back and knees while wielding a heavy shield to protect herself from liquid thrown on her by an inmate. She never returned to
A Sacramento jury returned guilty verdicts on three counts of workers' compensation insurance fraud filed against a bus driver for the Sacramento Regional Transit District who claimed she was assaulted by a passenger, according to information provided by Intercare Holdings Insurance Services.
Rona C. Means was convicted of one felony offense and two misdemeanor offenses. Restitution may be determined at the next court date on Oct. 23.
Means reportedly said she was injured in July 2018 when a man in a wheelchair allegedly punched her repeatedly with a closed fist.
Surveillance foot
WorkCompCentral and the Insurance Council of Texas are partnering to present a free legislative update webinar on Oct. 27.
The two-hour session will explore where workers' compensation stands in the political arena, including how it is positioned within the committee structure of the Legislature, and relevant political and policy forces heading into the 90th Legislative Session that convenes Jan. 12.
Panelists will discuss current legislative issues and priorities driving policymakers, as well as potential impacts on system users.
Panelists include Albert Betts Jr., executive direct
The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld an award of benefits to a worker for his injuries from being struck by a car as he was crossing a highway to head to his jobsite.
Donnell Perry worked for Safe Zone as a traffic control flagger.
On March 8, 2023, Perry reported to Safe Zone for work at 7 a.m. and was transported to three different worksites by on-site supervisors.
He was over 10 hours into his shift when he received permission from a supervisor to go to a nearby convenience store to purchase a phone charger and cigarettes.
It was important for Perry to keep his cellphone charged because he