Worker Gets PTD Award for Injury from Chair Collapsing

The Missouri Court of Appeals on Tuesday ruled that a worker was entitled to an award of permanent and total disability benefits for injuries suffered when a chair collapsed beneath him as he was eating lunch. Although the Legislature in 2005 abrogated the Missouri case law pertaining to the personal comfort doctrine, the court said the doctrine itself has survived. The personal comfort doctrine provides that a worker remains within the course and scope of his employment when he briefly diverts from his job duties to minister to his needs for sustenance, hydration, rest, warmth and the like....