Workers Compensation Press Updates

A construction worker who was found not guilty of workers compensation fraud cannot sue his employer’s workers comp insurer for bad faith based on his acquittal, the Montana Supreme Court has ruled.

The death of a woman, who was shot and killed by her estranged husband in an HSBC Card Services Inc. parking, lot did not “arise out of” her employment, South Dakota’s Supreme Court has ruled unanimously.

Early-stage pneumoconiosis, commonly called black lung disease, can be asymptomatic, but advanced cases often lead to disability and premature death, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

Two appeals court rulings that upheld eased eligibility for federal black lung benefits for coal miners and their surviving families are likely to increase the number of claims paid by employers.

LAS VEGAS — Employers can help keep their workers compensation claim costs down by partnering with their insurers to receive data and services that aid in safety and claim management, an Aon Risk Solutions executive said.

A law that restricts Florida physicians from dispensing opioid prescriptions from their offices reduced narcotic use in workers compensation cases, but increased prescribing of other painkillers, according to the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

Zurich American Insurance Co. will stop requiring California workers compensation policyholders to arbitrate disputes in Illinois as part of a settlement reached with the California Department of Insurance.