Vol. 6, Issue 5

Find Solutions & Strategies February 2, 2015

Occupational Injury Patterns of U.S. Workers With Physical or Mental Disabilities

In This Issue

- OCCUPATIONAL INJURY PATTERNS

- LARSON'S SPOTLIGHT: Death Benefits, Abandonment of Workforce, Heart Attack, Attorney Referral Agreement

- NATIONAL & STATE NEWS

- eNEWSLETTER ARCHIVES

A Note From the Editor

WCRI Conference

occupational injury patterns of u.s. workers with physical or mental disabilities

Roger Rabb, J.D. Special Correspondent for the LexisNexis Workers' Compensation eNewsletter

Past studies have shown that workers with disabilities in the U.S. are more likely to sustain an occupational injury than workers without disabilities, with one study published in 2012 concluding that "U.S. workers with disabilities have a 2.39 times higher odds of occupational injury than workers without disabilities." However, there has been little research comparing the types and causes of injuries sustained by the two groups. A new study, "Characteristics of Nonfatal Occupational Injuries Among U.S. Workers With and Without Disabilities," published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, attempts to remedy that deficiency....read more.

LARSON'S SPOTLIGHT ON RECENT CASES

Thomas A. Robinson, J.D., our Feature National Columnist, is a leading commentator and expert on the law of workers' compensation.

Maine: Widow Awarded Death Benefits for Husband's Death on Home Treadmill. The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed an award of workers' comp death benefits to the widow of a financial advisor who died of a heart attack...read more.

Ohio: Angry Worker Storms Off and Later Loses Claim for TTD Because He Abandoned Workforce. A divided Supreme Court of Ohio affirmed a finding that a worker was not entitled to TTD benefits because he had voluntarily abandoned...read more.

West Virginia: Fatal Heart Attack Tied to "Natural" Causes, Not Heat Exposure. The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia affirmed a decision that found a worker's death was the result of natural causes...read more.

Illinois: WCC Has No Jurisdiction to Determine Dispute Related to Attorney Referral Agreements. Where one attorney referred workers' comp cases to another attorney, who represented the claimants before the WCC, the Commission did not have jurisdiction...read more.

national & state news

H.R. 312 Would Provide Death Benefits for Families of Overseas Federal Contractors.

Tips on Dealing With Workers Comp Issues in Transportation Industry.

WSJ Investigates Whether On-Demand Workers Are Employees.

"Uberization" of Jobs as Sea Change in Working World.

Expert Explains Causes, Manifestation, Presumptions for Black Lung Disease.

AL: High Court Rules Custodian Permanently Disabled After Exposure to Chemicals.

CA: Federal Judge Holds Hearing, States Lyft Drivers May Be Employees.

CA: Federal Judge Holds Hearing, States Uber Drivers May Be Employees.

CA: Ins. Commissioner Approves New Insurance Option for UberX Drivers.

CA: DWC Posts RAND Study on Home Health Services Fee Schedule.

CA: DWC Posts 2014 Audit Unit Annual Report and Ranking Report.

CA: DWC Issues Third Revision to Copy Service Fee Schedule Rules.

CA: OSIP Launches New E-Filing Portal for Actuaries.

CA: 1st DCA Issues Order for Supplemental Briefs in IMR Constitutionality Case.

CA: CIGA Board of Governors Posts Agendas for Feb. 10-11 Meetings.

CA: Lawmaker Introduces Bill for Minimum Wage, Work Comp for NFL Cheerleaders.

CT: SB 593 Would Cover PTSD for Witnessing Violent Death, Maiming.

DE: Ins. Commissioner Announces Substantial Decrease in Workers Comp Rates.

FL: Aon Report Finds Low Amount of Health Care Payments Related to WC Claims.

FL: Uber Drivers Fined $44K for Lack of Liability Coverage, Permits, Etc.

HI: Ins. Commissioner Announces 15 New Captive Insurers Licensed in 2014.

ME: Labor Committee Asks Questions Re Calculation, Cap on Benefits.

MD: WCC Revises Three Subpoena Forms.

NM: Lawmaker to Introduce Bill to Deny Work Comp to Intoxicated Injured Workers.

NY: Governor Backs Ebola Bill of Rights for Health Care Workers.

NY: Governor Seeks to Eliminate 12 WCB "Nuisance Fees".

NY: WCB Chair Announces Adoption of ICD-10 Timetable.

NY: WCB Posts New Reimbursement Rates for Acute Inpatient Hospital Care.

NY: WCB Posts Changes to Authorized Health Care Providers List.

NY: WCB Posts List of Newly Authorized Health Care Providers.

NC: IC Chairman Appoints 7 Deputy Commissioners.

NC: IC Adopts Physician, Hospital Fee Schedule Rate Changes.

ND: Bill Would Cover PTSD for First Responders.

OH: BWC Considers Changes in Investments in Real Estate.

OK: Nonprofit Group Seeks to Restore Workers Comp Rights for Injured Workers.

PA: Physician Charged With Running Pill Mills Out of His Medical Offices.

TX: Lawsuit Could Impact Use of Telemedicine in Texas.

TX: DWC Posts 2014 Enforcement Actions.

TX: Court Affirms Injured Worker's $5.3M Liability Award Against Nonsubscriber.

TX: Dept. of Ins. Harmonizes Forms, Endorsements With NCCI Rating Manual.

WI: More Details Surface About Possible Drastic Workers Comp Reforms.

ENEWSLETTER ARCHIVES

Take a deep dive into our past eNewsletters for 2015 and prior...warning - some links to articles may not work...report any linking problems to Robin.E.Kobayashi@lexisnexis.com.

Jan. 26, 2015: Temp Nation: Risk Management Tips.

Jan. 20, 2015: Ambulatory Surgical Center Payments vs. Hospital Outpatient Payments.

Jan. 12, 2015: WCRI Study Strikes Serious Blow to Physician-Dispensed Strong Opioids.

Jan. 5, 2015: Top 10 Bizarre Workers' Comp Cases for 2014.

ACCESS 2010-2014 ARCHIVES AND ARTICLES LIST HERE.

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