High Court Says Carrier Cannot be Sued Civilly for Bad-Faith Acts

The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that an insurance carrier with a history of failing to pay an injured worker's outstanding medical bills, despite repeated administrative orders compelling it to do so, cannot be sued in a civil action by that worker. In a 4-1 decision, the highest court said the Legislature's 2008 amendments to the Workers' Compensation Act indicated that lawmakers did not intend for injured workers to have a common law right of action for pain and suffering caused by an insurer's administration of a workers' compensation claim. Ace was represen...