A Massachusetts contractor who reneged on a federal settlement agreement in 2017 and who has a history of workplace safety hazards has once again been cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over alleged job site dangers. OSHA on Thursday announced it issued citations to Quincy, Massachusetts-based The Roof Kings LLC for four willful …
‘Serial violator’ cited by OSHA for fall hazards Read More »
A Texas appeals court has reversed a trial judge’s decision that denied a bid by retailer Walmart that sought to compel arbitration and stay litigation in a case brought by an injured worker. The Court of Appeals of Texas, Ninth District on Thursday said a trial court was wrong to deny a motion by Walmart …
Injured worker’s claims must be arbitrated: Texas appeals court Read More »
Lawmakers in Washington state aim to overturn a Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals decision denying a COVID-19 workers compensation claim and to amend the definition of “occupational disease.” H.B. 1785 would declare that any infectious disease is a compensable occupational disease provided it is the subject of a public health emergency, is spread through respiratory …
Lawmakers seek to reverse denial of COVID claim with new legislation Read More »
The treatment request denials for injured workers in California that were overturned most often in 2021 were for behavioral and mental health services, with 15% overturned, according to a report released Wednesday by the California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers’ Compensation. The annual report provides a snapshot of independent medical review activity in …
Mental treatment denials overturned most in medical necessity reviews Read More »
Physical medicine cost was the largest driver of annual physician cost increases in workers compensation during the past decade, according to a new report from the National Council on Compensation Insurance. The report, titled “Inflation and Workers Compensation Medical Costs – Physician Services,” was released Tuesday by Boca Raton, Florida-based NCCI and is the third …
Physical medicine largest driver of comp doctor costs: NCCI Read More »
Texas Mutual Insurance Co. has named Chief Operating Officer Jeanette Ward as its next president and CEO, effective March 1. Ms. Ward will replace retiring president and CEO Rich Gergasko, who has served in those positions for the past decade, Texas Mutual said Tuesday in a statement. Ms. Ward joined the Austin-based workers compensation insurer …
Texas Mutual Insurance names Jeanette Ward as next president-CEO Read More »
A workplace explosion that killed a Mississippi welder this summer could have been prevented if the employer adhered to proper workplace safety standards, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA on Tuesday cited Bentonia, Mississippi-based W.S. Red Hancock Inc. for willfully failing to fill a saltwater disposal tank with water and for failing …
Mississippi company cited after explosion that killed welder Read More »
Maryland lawmakers have filed follow-up legislation to a bill introduced last month that would subject workers compensation benefits to child support arrearages. State delegates introduced HB 800 on Wednesday, which allows for 25% of the net recovery by debtors in workers comp claims to be subject to execution on a judgment for past child support. …
Maryland introduces second bill allowing child support recovery in comp Read More »
New Mexico lawmakers are considering a bill that would increase to $2,500 the maximum fine for those who violate the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act. H.B. 329, introduced Tuesday and sent to committee, applies specifically to “any person who fails to file a report required by, or who violates any provision” of the state’s comp law. …
New Mexico lawmakers to consider more than doubling comp fines Read More »
Workers compensation claims involving long COVID may rise this year, though cost projections are hard to come by, experts say. In January, the Workers Compensation Research Institute reported that comp claims with long COVID had higher-than-average medical payments and indemnity payments and longer durations of temporary disability than regular COVID-19 claims. “In particular, we found …
Long COVID’s effect on workers comp costs remains unknown Read More »