Pennsylvania Work Comp News

Published by Howdy Workers on May 22, 2021May 22, 2021

The latest news about workers compensation in Pennsylvania.

• Worker Can't Back Out of Settlement Based on Alleged Miscalculation of Lump-Sum Payment
  August 15, 2022
  The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that a worker could not back out of a settlement agreement based on his claim that the lump-sum payment it provided had been miscalculated. Case:…
• Worker Gets No Penalties, Fees for Employer's Failure to Pay for Opioid Meds
  August 12, 2022
  The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld the denial of a worker’s claim for penalties and attorney fees related to his employer’s failure to pay for his opioid medications. Case: Hughes v.
• Worker Collecting Pension, Social Security Benefits Didn't Voluntarily Leave Workforce
  August 11, 2022
  The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that an injured worker collecting a union pension and Social Security benefits had not voluntarily left the workforce. Case: Hi-Tech Flooring Inc. v. WCAB (Santucci),…
• Police Officer Can't Amend Description of Injury; Employer Can Terminate His Benefits
  August 5, 2022
  The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld a denial of a police officer’s request to amend the description of his work injury and upheld the grant of his employer’s petition to…
• Truck Driver Gets Limited Expansion of Injuries From Fall
  August 4, 2022
  The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld a decision to expand the description of a worker’s injuries, but not to the full extent he had requested. Case: Hatten v. J.B. Hunt Transport…
• Employer Can't Be Compelled to Pay for New Home, Renovations That Were Never Done
  August 3, 2022
  The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that the Workers’ Compensation Act does not authorize an order for an employer to pay an injured worker for home modifications that were never…
• Worker Couldn't Rely on UR Determinations to Establish Causation
  August 1, 2022
  The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that utilization review determinations can't be used to establish the causal relationship between a treatment and a work injury, and upheld the denial of…
• Court Allows Injured Worker to Add to Claim, Reinstates Benefits
  July 18, 2022
  The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld the grant of a worker’s petitions to add a new injury to his claim and reinstate his benefits. Case: Pocono Mountain School District v. Kojeszewski…
• CGL Policy Doesn't Exclude Coverage for $2.4M Settlement to Worker Who Lost Legs
  July 18, 2022
  A federal appellate court ruled that a commercial general liability insurance carrier’s policy did not exclude coverage for its insured’s $2.4 million settlement to a worker who suffered the amputation…
• Court Upholds UR Determination on Worker's Excessive Opioid Use
  July 15, 2022
  The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania upheld a determination that an injured worker’s opioid medication usage was excessive and needed to be tapered in accordance with a utilization reviewer’s recommendations. Case: Mushow…

Additional Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Resources

• Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Resources