The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act

U.S. Supreme Court issues unanimous decision favoring offshore oil workers

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U.S. Supreme Court Issues Unanimous Decision Regarding the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA). The Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor is proud to announce that the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision (U.S. Supreme Court, No. 10-507, Pacific Operators Offshore L.L.P. v. Valladolid) providing for fair workers compensation benefits to offshore oil workers, regardless of where the accident causing their injury or death occurs. The Law Offices of Charles D. Naylor, a Los Angeles-based maritime personal injury firm (http://www.NaylorLaw.com), represents Luisa Valladolid and brought the case to the Supreme Court along with esteemed co-counsel. Oral arguments were presented to the justices in October 2011. > Read more.

WILG Report on Employer & Insurer Fraud: Boosting Bottom Line Profits at the Expense of Workers and Society, posted by Jennifer Comer, Executive Director, WILG. The vilification of injured workers was big business' modus operandi during the 2011 legislative session. Stories were placed in newspapers about employees gaming the workers' compensation system and inaccurate, and unverified statistics on employee fraud were spoon fed to state legislators and the media. These aggressive efforts were orchestrated by big business in an attempt to shape public opinion for raising insurance rates and enacting restrictive legislative measures that would limit the rights of injured workers. > Read more

Leonard T. Jernigan recently wrote on his blog, North Carolina Workers' Compensation Journal, that "When we hear about workplace fraud, most of us think of a worker faking an injury to receive benefits that he or she does not deserve. While that kind of fraud does exist, it is minor compared to the big money lost to fraud from companies." Jernigan presents his top 10 list of employer fraud cases of 2011, which "represents just a small portion of the company fraud cases in the news this year". > Read the list

Presumption of Compensability for Court Reporter's On-the-Job Aneurysm, by Thomas A. Robinson. Under N.Y. Workers' Comp. Law § 21(1), a presumption of compensability exists where an unwitnessed or unexplained injury occurs during the course of the affected worker's employment. Claimant, a court reporter, was found unconscious at her workplace and rushed to a local hospital, where she was diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by a ruptured basilar artery aneurysm....  

AL: Man Charged for Murder of Workers Comp Lawyer.

AK: Governor Appoints New Attorney General.

AR: Court Denies Workers Comp, Cites Marijuana Use by Worker Injured in Blast.

CA: SCIF Layoff "Transition" Severance Package Accepted by 1,000 Workers.

CA: SCIF to Lay Off 256 Employees in Pleasanton Office.

CA: DWC Responds to Inquiries Regarding Discounted Payments for Pharmacy Benefits.

CA: DWC Says Standardized Medical Billing Form Rules Not Applicable to Medical-Legal Bills.

CA: DIR Posts Templates for Wage Theft Protection Act Employee Notices.

CO: Pinnacol CEO Says Premium Rates to Rise Regardless of Privatization.

CO: Pinnacol Board Member John Cevette Resigns.

CO: Governor Announces Three Appointments to Pinnacol Board.

CO: WCD to Consider Changes to Pain Management Guidelines.

FL: GOP Lawmakers Seek to Replace Current Medical Malpractice Litigation System.

FL: DWC Posts Penalty Rule Changes for Self-Insurers.

FL: DWC Posts Loss Data Rule Changes for Self-Insurers.

IL: Governor Appoints Robert Wagner Acting Director of Insurance Dept.

IL: IWCC Announces Appointment of Mary Wells as New CFO.

IL: IWCC Posts Arbitration Coverage Updates.

IA: WC Commissioner Sues Governor for Sexual Discrimination, Illegally Reducing His Salary.

IA: Attorney for Governor in WC Commissioner Lawsuit Requests $325.00/Hr.

ME: Labor Groups Oppose Proposed Workers Comp Bill.

MI: WCA Posts Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy.

MI: WCA Posts Latest Version of Benefits Calculation Program.

MO: Senator Pushes for Private Status of Missouri Employers Mutual.

NE: Bill Would Deny Comp for Employees Who Made Misrepresentations on Job Application.

NE: Senate Committee Poised to Fast Track Workers Comp Reform Bill.

NE: Senator Focuses on Bill to Change Burial Costs for Workers Comp Death Benefits.

NH: Senate Panel Approves Employer-Backed Bill on Independent Contractors.