workers’ compensation News

N.J. Supreme Cites ‘Authorized Vehicle Rule,’ Awards Benefits for Auto Crash

Typically, workers who are injured during their commute to work aren’t eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. The New Jersey Supreme Court highlighted an exception to that rule in a unanimous decision Tuesday. The high court held that a pest control …

Florida Man Sentenced for Role in Workers’ Compensation Fraud Conspiracy

A federal judge has sentenced Ramon Paz of Lakeland, Florida to 33 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud to avoid paying for workers’ compensation insurance. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, Paz …

Cannabis Worker Dies on the Job from Asthma Attack, the First Reported Case in US

The U.S. cannabis production industry’s first reported occupational asthma death took the life of a worker in Massachusetts, federal health and safety officials said. The woman, 27, was working in a cannabis cultivation and processing facility when she experienced worsening …

At SpaceX, Worker Injuries Soar in Elon Musk’s Rush to Mars

One windy night at Elon Musk’s SpaceX facility in McGregor, Texas, Lonnie LeBlanc and his co-workers realized they had a problem. They needed to transport foam insulation to the rocket company’s main hangar but had no straps to secure the …

Pa. Court Rules Workers’ Comp Insurer Must Pay for Injured Worker’s CBD Oil

Eight months after it ruled that medical marijuana is covered under workers’ compensation, a Pennsylvania appeals court has concluded that an injured worker’s cost of CBD oil is also reimbursable. A Commonwealth Court has found that CBD oil qualifies under …

Claims Fraud: Maryland, California and Florida

Maryland A Maryland claims adjuster pleaded guilty to one count of theft after she was caught manipulating auto insurance claims so she could steal from her employers, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown’s office said Thursday. Laurelle Monet Manley-Williams, 34, …

Judge Rules Virginia Teacher Shot by Student Can Proceed with $40 Million Lawsuit

A teacher who was shot by her 6-year-old student in Virginia can press forward with her $40 million lawsuit against a school system over claims of negligence by school administrators, a judge ruled Friday. The surprise decision by Newport News …

Uber, Lyft to Pay $328M to Settle New York Wage Theft Claims

NEW YORK — Uber and Lyft will pay a combined $328 million to settle claims by New York’s attorney general that the ride-sharing companies systematically cheated drivers out of pay and benefits. Attorney General Letitia James said Uber will pay …

Immunity Doesn’t Protect Local Governments from Administrative Penalties, Texas Court Rules

Political subdivisions in Texas can’t use governmental immunity to evade administrative penalties for failing to timely pay workers’ compensation benefits, a state appellate court ruled Tuesday. A panel of the 3rd District Court of Appeals in Austin upheld a trial …

A Teacher Was Shot by Her 6-Year-Old Student. Is Workers’ Compensation Enough?

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — A heated debate has emerged about the once-unimaginable shooting of a teacher by her 6-year-old student: How should the school district take care of the teacher? Should she only get workers’ compensation for her serious …