Breaking News

Tick bite claim, imperative actual knowledge, Wisconsin reform, pain management variation, and a CA report card Ranch worker's tick-bite comp claim revived - Business Insurance "the Court of Appeals of Arkansas ruled Tuesday that Mr. Mohler sufficiently proved that his illness arose out of his job on a cattle ranch." Lack of Actual Knowledge Dooms Negligence Claim against Coworkers for Jobsite Death " the estate's co-employee gross negligence claims failed as a matter of law due to lack of evidence that the co-employees had the requisite actual knowledge of the specific peril that caused the worker's death" Major comp reform bill heads to Wisconsin governor - Business Insurance "promising higher benefits, expanded coverage for first responder mental health claims and stiffer penalties for businesses that operate without insurance" Pain Management Interstate Variation "The costs of treating pain through physical medicine and major surgery h...

Hybrid work underwriting, shifting claims costs, assault in the workplace, and active management When the Workplace Is Everywhere: The New Reality of Workers' Comp Claims "Hybrid work is driving a new class of workers’ compensation risk" North American carriers warned of “structural” claims cost shift in 2026 Gallagher Bassett study "social inflation, medical inflation, catastrophe losses, economic volatility and rapid AI adoption converge" Fresno Sees String of Attacks on Postal Workers - WorkersCompensation.com "two attacks on mail carriers in one week" Active Employer Involvement Can Cut Workers' Compensation Costs - Risk & Insurance "This passive approach carries a steep price"

Staffing companies, return to pre-COVID frequency, retaliatory discharge allegation, and physician choice.  Bill proposes mandatory registration for staffing companies - Business Insurance "Staffing agencies in California would be required to provide proof of workers compensation coverage" CWCI: COVID-19 Drove Recent Volatility in California Work Injury & Illness Trends "the number of nonfatal work injuries and illnesses in California returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2024" Injured Planet Fitness worker 'immediately fired' when he asked for worker's comp, lawsuit claims "The lawsuit alleges Planet Fitness violated New Jersey laws affording workers protection from retaliation when they experience a work-place injury." Employer Choice in Workers' Comp – a State-by-State Survey - WorkersCompensation.com "the selection of a treating physician significantly impacts both the injured worker’s recovery and costs borne by employers" ...

Insurance jobs decrease, COVID compensable on cluster theory, scam hearings, and reinstated whistleblowers US insurers account for half of financial sector's 22000 January job losses "The employment contraction stands in sharp contrast to overall labor market performance. " New York court forces freight company to pay for COVID-19 workplace death - HRD America "Medical providers could not say definitively where the driver caught the virus. That is where workplace prevalence became critical. " Spanish-speaking workers targeted in workers' compensation hearing scam, state says "The state says scammers will contact workers by phone, email, social media, or video calls, and try to convince them to appear at an online workers’ compensation hearing." Contractors ordered to pay workers fired after raising asbestos concerns "OSHA determined the firings violated federal whistleblower protections under the Clean Air Act, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, an...

Tennessee rates decline, spoilation of video evidence in Virginia, exclusive remedy in Oklahoma, and the perils of dog bites for delivery workers. Tennessee Workers' Comp Rates Decline for 13th Consecutive Year in 2026 "Since Tennessee’s workers’ compensation system reforms began in 2014, Tennessee employers have seen substantial savings with these loss cost reductions." Injured Employee Loses Evidence Spoliation Bid Over Video Erased by Employer "The school system said that the video from the day of the incident had been erased after 30 days in accordance with its normal procedures." Oklahoma Supreme Court: Exclusivity applies despite dismissed comp claim "A unanimous Oklahoma Supreme Court held that exclusivity prohibits a man from suing his employer for negligence even after he dismissed his workers compensation claim." Arizona Delivery Drivers and Workers Face a Hidden Risk: Dog Attacks on the Job "Dog attacks are not rare accidents. They are ...

Secondary psych injury, penalties for employers, exclusive remedy, and Magellans Workers' comp process amplifying psychological injuries | Human Resources Director "many injured workers develop a 'secondary psychological injury' not from the original incident, but from prolonged uncertainty, financial strain, and stressful interactions..." Florida eyes penalties for employers of undocumented migrants hurt on the job "Senate Bill 1380 would require employers who knowingly hire people not authorized to work in the United States to pay for those workers’ medical bills if they get hurt." High court nixes negligence lawsuit for lack of 'actual' knowledge - Business Insurance "what the supervisors knew or should have known — is not enough to overcome the exclusive remedy of workers compensation" The “Magellans” Navigating Workers' Comp Care: Nursing Case Managers "case managers help coordinate care, medicines, logistical concerns, in...

Knock off GLP-1s, New York starts new worker education, reimbursement disputes, and reminders of tax treatment of workers' compensation FDA Intends to Take Action Against Non-FDA-Approved GLP-1 Drugs These actions are aimed to safeguard consumers from drugs for which the FDA cannot verify quality, safety, or efficacy. State launches partnership to promote free community college for injured workers "The partnership promotes the SUNY and CUNY Reconnect programs, which provide free tuition, fees, books, and supplies for New Yorkers ages 25 to 55." GEICO sues pharmacy, healthcare providers over alleged $6 million PIP fraud "seeks to recover more than $5,000,000, it alleges was wrongfully obtained through fraudulent charges for purported examinations, chiropractic services, physical therapy services, and MRI imaging." 8 Surprising Types of Income the IRS Won't Tax in 2026 "Payments received from workers' compensation for an occupational sickness of injur...

Drug costs and second injury fund in CA, Comp premiums bucking trends, and new rules in Georgia. CWCI Examines Psychotherapeutic & Neurological Drugs in California Workers' Comp "they are now among the 10 most costly drug groups in California workers’ compensation" Calif. budget proposal, bill aim at struggling comp fund - Business Insurance "the budget proposal and A.B. 1576 reflect increasing concern among state officials and lawmakers that the decades-old program, which provides additional benefits to workers who suffer multiple industrial injuries, has expanded beyond its original scope" Premiums rise YoY in Jan '26 across all lines except Workers' Comp: Ivans "workers compensation averated -2.17%, down from -1.77% the month before." WCL ATL Analyzes Impact of Georgia Workers Comp Rule Changes on Alpharetta ... "These rule changes represent the most substantial procedural updates to Georgia's workers' compensation system in...

M assachusetts trust fund, California schedule update, Utah firefighters, and a small Ohio rate change State fund must cover longtime injured worker whose company was insolvent "workers compensation reinsurer is entitled to reimbursement from the state Workers’ Compensation Trust Fund for certain cost-of-living adjustment payments" DWC posts adjustments to Official Medical Fee Schedule for Physician and Non-Physician Terminology coding, relative value units, updated coding edits, updated conversion factors House approves workers' compensation changes for firefighters after debate | Citizen Portal Utah "0pponents raised concerns about scope, actuarial cost implications and whether other groups should be considered." Ohio proposes modest comp rate cut for private employers - Business Insurance "Ohio is considering a 1% reduction in workers’ compensation rates for private employers."

The Property Casualty line is resilient, standardizing medical care and benefit calculations, a COVID presumption in New Jersey Resilient U.S. P/C Market Performance Sets Stage for a ... "The U.S. property/casualty insurance industry demonstrated notable resilience throughout 2025," Bills Increasing Workers' Comp. Costs Advance - NFIB "the pair, which would add $500 million in new costs over six years, according to L&I estimates" Proposed workers' comp bills target medical access, disability pay "The proposals would standardize medical treatment for injured workers and revise how long-term disability benefits are calculated" N.J. Supreme Court Rules Teachers Are ‘Essential Employees’ for COVID-19 Workers’ Comp Claims "affirms rebuttable presumption that educators who contracted coronavirus during pandemic did so at work"

California has a new notice requirement, Ohio rates may drop, California fee schedule updated, North Carolina joint employment explained, and nominations open for the next generation awards. California's New Employer Notice Requirements Taking Effect February 1, 2026 | JD Supra "must provide a standalone written notice to employees by February 1 and on at least an annual basis thereafter describing workers’ core rights" BWC to Weigh 1% Workers' Comp Premium Cut - State Affairs Pro "potentially saving Ohio's private employers nearly $10 million starting July 1." DWC posts fee schedule adjustments for Hospital Outpatient Departments / Ambulatory ... "To conform to changes in the Medicare payment system as required by Labor Code section 5307.1" Supreme Court clarifies joint employment doctrine "a law enforcement officer was the sole employee of the sheriff’s office and not the construction company that contracted with the office to provide tr...

Safety in a demographic shift, California medical reviews, Nebraska safety committees, and Mental Mental Ergonomics and older workers - Safety+Health magazine "Industrial workplaces across the United States are in the middle of a demographic shift that’s reshaping how organizations think about safety" California high court to clarify power of medical reviews in ongoing care "whether an exception exists to utilization review and independent medical review exclusivity when an employer seeks to deny previously authorized ongoing treatment, and whether the state appeals board has jurisdiction to hear an employee’s appeal after a denial in those circumstances. Bill abolishing workplace safety committees advances | Nebraska Public Media A requirement for Nebraska businesses to have safety committees to protect workers would be abolished Workplace Mental Health: Employee/Employer Perspectives Can Differ. In recent years, employee mental health has become a more prominent issue