In early July 2023, the Supreme Court of California released an important decision in the case of Kuciemba v. Victory Woodworks, Inc., No. S274191. The state’s highest court determined that an employer was not liable for the COVID-19 illness contracted by the spouse of one of its employees. The decision has important implications for workers’ […]
Category Archives: COVID-19
On March 22, 2023, the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) issued an En Banc ruling regarding the end of our state’s COVID-19 emergency. (Case No. MISC. NO. 268). Below, our California workers’ compensation defense lawyers highlight the essential things that you should know about the recent WCAB updated guidance regarding COVID-19 emergency workers’ compensation […]
According to reporting from Insurance Journal, a recent analysis published by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) found that nearly half of the workers’ compensation claims filed within the health care industry were due to COVID-19. However, on an industry-wide basis, workers’ compensation rates in the industry remain below the state average. In this […]
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’ […]
Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit California in March 2020, occupational infections have been a big part of the discussion around workers’ compensation. Of course, occupational infection issues are by no means new in California. The law is clear: Workers’ compensation covers occupational infections—but the applicant must establish causation. There have been two recent panel opinions […]
On January 18, 2022, the California Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) announced that updated COVID-19 related emergency regulations for Qualified Medical Evaluations (QMEs) are taking effect. The latest round of emergency regulations are set to last until July 19, 2022—with two separate 90-day extensions possible if deemed necessary. In this article, our Fresno workers’ compensation […]
Workers’ compensation is complicated. Most years bring some modest (or sometimes major) legal and legislative changes. Employers, claims administrators, and insurance companies should all understand their responsibilities under California law. In this blog post, our Fresno workers’ compensation defense attorneys highlight four key things to know about workers’ compensation laws and regulations for 2022. Average […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit communities all around the globe. The outbreak has been a challenge for employers. According to the California Workers’ Compensation Institute, more than 166,000 COVID-19 related workers’ compensation claims have been filed in the state as of November 1, 2021. The top industry for COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims are as follows: […]
According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, the COVID-19 surge driven by the Delta variant started to recede in California in September. Nonetheless, transmission of the COVID-19 virus remains a public health issue in Central California, throughout the United States, and around the globe. With this in mind, California regulators have once again […]
According to a report from Cal Matters, some questions are being raised about the state of California’s long-standing “grand bargain” between employers and employees on the matter of workers’ compensation. The report calls the grand bargain “under siege” in the era of the COVID-19 virus. In this blog post, our Fresno workers’ compensation defense lawyers […]
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