Monthly Archives: December 2022

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIMS IN CALIFORNIA TAKE MORE THAN TWICE AS LONG TO CLOSE AS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE

According to a report from Insurance Journal, it takes significantly longer to close the average workers’ compensation claim in California than it does in most other states. While it takes seven years for 90% of workers’ compensation claims to be closed in California, it only takes three years to do so in the median U.S. […]

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM ANNOUNCED COVID-19 EMERGENCY WILL END IN FEBRUARY 2023

In October, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the “End the COVID-19 State of Emergency.” The proclamation comes as part of the state’s more comprehensive “SMARTER Plan” for dealing with the public health threat posed by the virus going forward. The lifting of the COVID-19 State of Emergency in California does have some implications for workers’ […]

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FRAUD WATCH: FRESNO BUSINESS OWNERS CHARGED WITH UNDERREPORTING PAYROLL BY $2.5 MILLION

On October 11, 2022, the California Department of Insurance announced that the Central Valley Workers’ Compensation Fraud Task Force has uncovered a multi-million dollar workers’ compensation fraud scheme in Fresno. A husband, wife, and their daughter (Karamjit Nijjar, Rajinder Kaur Nijjar, and Mandip Nijjar) were arraigned on felony workers’ compensation fraud charges for allegedly underreporting […]

WCAB UPHOLDS OPINION THAT LIMITED AN INJURED WORKER’S PERMANENT DISABILITY BENEFITS DUE TO PRE-EXISTING INJURY

An injured employee has the right to seek workers’ compensation benefits for a permanent disability. To obtain workers’ compensation benefits for permanent disability, a claimant must prove that he or she was hurt within the course and scope of employment. However, this is not always an “either/or” proposition. A pre-existing injury/condition could be a factor. […]