Fraud, Unfair Competition Claims Not Sufficient to Escape Exclusivity

A California appeals court ruled that workers' compensation is the exclusive remedy for an injured worker's claim that a third-party administrator, claims handler and a doctor conspired to improperly characterize the nature of her injuries and need for ongoing treatment or work accommodations. "If the alleged acts are a normal part of, or collateral to, the workers' compensation process, and the motive behind the acts does not violate a fundamental policy of the state, the cause of action is barred," the 4th District Court of Appeal said in an unpublished decision handed...