Split Supreme Court Upholds 0% PPD Award for Worker's COVID-19 Infection

A divided West Virginia Supreme Court upheld a 0% permanent partial disability award for a worker’s COVID-19 infection. Case: Thompson v. Genesis Healthcare Group, No. 24-281, 02/20/2025, published. Facts: Melisa Thompson worked for Genesis Healthcare Group as a social service specialist. She filed a workers’ compensation claim in August 2020, asserting she had contracted COVID-19 at work. A claims administrator for Genesis’ insurance carrier accepted liability for the claim. In September 2020, Dr. Rhonda Guy diagnosed Thompson with post-traumatic stress disorder, mixed a...