Court Rejects Claim for Death Benefits by Worker's Alleged Common-Law Wife

An Ohio appellate court ruled that the alleged common-law wife of a fatally injured worker could not seek judicial review of an Industrial Commission decision denying her claim for death benefits because the state trial courts lacked jurisdiction to consider her appeal. Case: Centric v. Buhrer, No. 2017-P-0040, 02/26/2018, published. Facts and procedural history: Leonard Polichena died in March 2013 after he suffered a head injury while working for Gano’s Auto Clinic. He was 47. After Polichena’s death, Lisa Centric filed a claim for workers’ compensation benefits on behal...