VT Sup Ct: Claim Survives Death if No Dependents

Even though a worker died from unrelated causes before his workers' comp claim could be adjudicated, his estate can still collect benefits on his behalf, Vermont Supreme Court ruled last month.In Dodge v. Precision Construction Products, Inc. (No. 2001-525. February 14, 2003) an injured worker who was receiving benefits died from causes unrelated to his industrial injury. The employer thereafter argued that the claim didn't survive the worker's death because there were no dependents.The court disagreed: "[T]he wording of [the workers' comp] statute does not support an inference that it was in...