Court: No Exception Without a Drug-Free Policy

A Tennessee Special Workers' Compensation Appeals Panel refused to except an employer without a drug-free workplace program from showing that drugs or alcohol were the proximate cause of a serious burn injury at work. Morningstar Manufacturing appealed a trial court finding in a workers' compensation claim filed by Bobby Crowder. The case was Crowder v. Morningstar Manufacturing Inc., No. W2005-01609-WC-R3-CV, 9/12/06. Crowder initiated an action to recover workers' compensation benefits for second- and third- degree burns to both hands and other parts of his body. He was burned when his s...