Carrier's Ambiguous Letter to Claimant Operated as Acceptance of Back Injury

The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that the Workers’ Compensation Board did not err in treating a carrier’s ambiguously phrased letter to an injured worker as an acceptance of liability for the worker’s back condition. Case: Shearer’s Foods v. Hoffnagle, No. 175, 04/19/2017, published. Facts: William Hoffnagle slipped and fell while at work in June 2012. His employer, Shearer’s Foods, accepted liability for a hip strain. A few weeks later, Hoffnagle reported feeling a “pop,” followed by sharp pain, in his lower back. He reported this incide...