Breaking News

NA - severity, inflation, and demographics creating claim pressure; CA - Medical inflation driven by new unlisted treatment codes; TX - nonsubscription and next steps Workers' comp's golden era may be ending as claims severity climbs | Insurance Business "a combination of rising claim severity, medical inflation, and workforce demographic shifts is creating new pressures that could gradually overhaul underwriting and claims strategies." CWCI: California Workers' Comp Medical Inflation Driven by Growing Use of Unlisted Codes "a growing share of treatment rendered to injured workers in the state is billed under unlisted codes that fall outside fee schedule pricing controls" Hurt at work? What to do if your employer doesn't have workers' comp - KSAT "what it means to work for a “non-subscriber,” why reporting an injury quickly matters, and when a case may need to be filed in court"

GA - Comp shields employer of teenager; CA - premises deemed controlling; KY - Notice and filing in retaliation Georgia court says comp bar applies in teen worker's fatal heavy equipment accident "a 16-year-old worker who was killed while operating heavy machinery at a construction site, (the court) ruling that the state’s workers compensation law provided the exclusive remedy." Could Parents of Taco Bell Worker Stabbed in Parking Lot Sue for Wrongful Death? "The court pointed out that a parking lot is generally considered to be part of an employer’s premises. Thus, the worker in this case never left the premises." Kentucky court upholds coal miner's comp retaliation verdict - Business Insurance "a worker does not need to formally file a comp claim to bring a retaliation claim if there is evidence the worker was pursuing benefits."

AZ - the "comma bill"; OR - Burden of proof; FD - Formulary burdens Arizona's 'comma bill' faces last-minute insurance opposition "Firefighters say a missing comma in Arizona law is threatening workers' compensation coverage" Oregon appeals court revives worker's combined-condition comp claim "the state Workers’ Compensation Board applied the wrong burden of proof in denying a combined-condition claim" Nonformulary Misstep: ECAB Upholds Denial of Brand-Name Pain Patch "As neither the claimant nor her physician pursued prior authorization or provided a rationalized medical explanation establishing the necessity of the nonformulary medication over available formulary alternatives"

NA- Labor market strong; NA - Fall prevention and losses; CA - Cumulative trauma is increasing U.S. Labor Market Shows Signs of Acceleration, Pointing to Stronger Workers' Comp Payrolls "approaches the pre-pandemic average of 191,000 monthly jobs. The trend carries direct implications for workers’ compensation exposures" Understanding fall accident: Prevention tips and legal rights | Daily Inter Lake "In 2024, 43,020 adults aged 65 and older died from preventable falls" California cumulative trauma comp claims rise sharply - Business Insurance "the share of indemnity claims involving cumulative trauma was relatively stable before the pandemic but has risen sharply since then, reaching a high in 2024 of 26% of indemnity claims, up from 13% in 2012."

NY - assessing mental health law; NA - Return to work; MS - Effect of bankruptcy discharge Weighing the Impact of New York's Amended Mental Injury Workers' Comp Legislation 18 ... "There is reason to believe that the law has already spurred positive change, with employers expanding mental health benefits for their workers." Moving Return to Work Forward - Risk & Insurance "Too many return-to-work programs still rely on outmoded systems." Mississippi high court revives injured worker's third-party suit - Business Insurance "because the bankruptcy case was dismissed without discharge, the bankruptcy court’s acceptance of Mr. Strong’s prior representations was revoked"

VA - Misclassification; NA - Combined ratio results for 2025; ND - Res Judicata Virginia Court of Appeals Reverses Worker Misclassification Decision - The Des Moines Register "court’s ruling overturned a previous finding that had labeled the worker an independent contractor," Workers' Comp Calendar Year Combined Ratio at 91; Accident Year Combined Ratio 102: NCCI "workers’ compensation net written premium decreased 0.2% in 2025" Without Ripe Acceleration Claim, N.D. Worker didn't Run into Res Judicata Wall "the ALJ addressed res judicata only in a footnote, concluding that it was inapplicable"