Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission News

Marshall Elected Chair of Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission

Wesley G. Marshall has been elected to a three-year term as chairman of the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission (VWC), effective July 1, 2024. He succeeds Commissioner Robert A. Rapaport, whose term ended June 30, 2024. Marshall, of Richmond, was appointed …

No Workers’ Comp for Employee Injured When Vehicle Crashed Through Her Office Wall

An employee at the Virginia Department of Health who was seriously injured when a vehicle crashed through the wall of her first floor office is not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC), in a 2-1 …

Driver Who Blamed Injury on Rushing to Finish Schedule Fails to Deliver Evidence

A delivery driver failed to convince her employer or the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commissioner (VWCC) that she injured her knee in a fall on the job because she had to rush to complete deliveries on a schedule. She maintained that …

Employee Who Was Trapped in Elevator Denied Workers’ Compensation Benefits

A health insurance company employee who was trapped in an elevator for about 30 minutes has been denied workers’ compensation benefits. The employee did not suffer any physical injury while she was trapped in the elevator but claimed she later …

Coming and Going, Extended Premises Rules Don’t Help Employee Injured on Crosswalk

An employee of a diagnostics firm in Virginia who was injured when she fell on a crosswalk on her way to work is not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission (VWCC) has upheld a deputy commissioner’s …

Employee Wins Workers’ Compensation Under Exception to ‘Coming-and-Going’ Bar

An exception to the workers’ compensation “coming-and-going” rule applies where the employer provides the transportation even if the employer says there was no explicit agreement that he would supply rides. The exception can apply where there is credible evidence to …

How Worker Won Workers’ Compensation for Mental Health Care After Car Crash Injury

A Virginia employer cannot assert that an injury is unrelated to a workplace accident while also arguing that the medical care for that injury is unauthorized; instead the employer must choose one or the other position, the Virginia Workers’ Compensation …

People Moves: Schaninger Joins Arthur Hall; Virginia Reappoints WC Commissioner Marshall

Arthur Hall Insurance, headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, named Mike Schaninger its small business unit (SBU) team lead and account manager. Schaninger currently serves as an adjunct professor at Widener University. He previously worked as medtech sales manager at Inogen …

School Crossing Guard Beats City’s Bid to Stop Her Workers ‘ Compensation Benefits

The Virginia city of Chesapeake has lost its bid to deny workers’ compensation medical benefits to a school crossing guard who injured her wrist when she fell while keeping her eyes on children around her crosswalk The city argued that …

Injured Worker Upheld in Refusing Suitable Return Job Because He Opposed Vaccination

It was reasonable for an injured employee who is returning to work to refuse a job that accommodated his disability because he had personal and religious objections to getting a COVID-19 vaccine. The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC) ruled against …