Supreme Court Orders Additional Evaluation to Determine if Worker's PPD Should Be Increased

The West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that a worker may be entitled to an increased award of permanent partial disability benefits for an old shoulder injury, depending on the outcome of the independent medical examination ordered by the court. Case: Lawrence v. West Virginia Office of the Insurance Commissioner, No. 17-0052, 09/15/2017, published. Facts: Gregory Lawrence injured his back and shoulder in March 1993 while lifting a heavy coal nozzle. Over the years, he has received a 21% permanent partial disability rating for his lumbar spine, 14% permanent partial disability rating for his ...