Supreme Court Upholds Award for Mechanic's Back Injury

The West Virginia Supreme Court upheld an award of benefits to a diesel mechanic for a back injury. Case: Penske v. Hughey, No. 25-112, 09/10/2025, published. Facts: James Hughey worked for Penske as a diesel mechanic. He allegedly suffered injuries at work in August 2021. Hughey went to the hospital two days later. He reported that he hurt his lower back while using a wrench to work on a tractor-trailer. Hughey underwent a magnetic resonance imaging scan, which revealed spondylosis of the lower lumbar spine with no acute fracture or dislocation. An X-ray revealed mild degenerative disc di...