California taxpayers are paying 42% more for treating injured state employees than they were just five years ago as the state’s workers’ comp costs have ballooned to $656 million a year. One key cost driver is the rapid increase in spending for short-term indemnity benefits that have skyrocketed 68% over this same time to $152 …
A former Fresno County Sheriff’s Deputy with bad knees will get a second chance at winning a taxpayer paid tax-free retirement package. The Fifth District Court of Appeal in a newly published decision is ordering the trial court to take a new look at Thomas Alberda’s application for a service-related disability retirement due to injuries …
A California Court of Appeal is denying the City of Sebastopol’s request to enforce the full terms of a negotiated settlement it reached with an injured worker after a workers’ comp judge refused to sign off on the deal. The court says the city is not entitled to the 15% decrease in the award that …
Publius Looks at Two Recent Decisions Chiropractic treatments and permanent disability rating schedules were recently the subject of important judicial decisions. Publius’ take on the decisions will shed light on …
Insurance carriers and employers expect the new permanent disability rating schedule to boost costs by hundreds of millions of dollars after it takes effect in January 2009. Employers also expect a surge in claims for injuries that have gotten an increase in future earning capacity. The result will be increased rates. Employers are counting on …
Ventura to Rehire Firefighter Who Was Forced to Go on Disability Ventura city officials agree to pay $750,000, in addition to more than two years of back pay and benefits, …
Oceanside Officer Wins $628K for Disability Discrimination A former Oceanside Police Department field evidence technician who was fired and sued the city for disability discrimination after it denied her workers’ …
The level of permanent disability (PD) benefits is once again the talk of Sacramento. Though benefits significantly increased in 2002 with the passage of AB 749 (Calderon), the permanent disability …