workers’ compensation News

Outlooks Revised to Stable for Louisiana’s Stonetrust Commercial Insurance

A.M. Best has revised the outlooks to stable from negative and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb” of workers’ compensation insurer, Stonetrust Commercial Insurance Co. (Stonetrust), headquartered in Baton Rouge, …

Keating Adds Workers’ Comp Team in Pennsylvania and Massaschusetts

Keating Inc., a specialty property and casualty insurance distribution company in the U.S., has hired Tim Palmer as a national managing partner within its workers’ compensation practice. Palmer brings with him a team of brokers to manage and expand business …

3rd Wrongful Death Suit Filed Over Oklahoma Gas Rig Explosion

A third wrongful death lawsuit has been filed over a natural gas rig explosion in Oklahoma that killed five workers. Julie Smith of McAlester, widow of Matthew Smith, filed the lawsuit Wednesday. The widows of Roger Cunningham and Parker Waldridge, …

Good News on Opioid Usage for a Change – it’s Down in California Workers’ Comp

Efforts to curb the use of opioids in California’s workers’ compensation system appear to be paying off. New research from the California Workers’ Compensation Institute on prescription drugs used to treat injured workers shows that opioids now account for less …

California OKs Workplace Rule to Protect Hotel Housekeepers

California has adopted a new workplace safety and health regulation designed to reduce work-related injuries to housekeepers in the hotel and hospitality industry. This is the first ergonomic standard in the nation written specifically to protect hotel housekeepers, according to …

Oklahoma Gas Rig Explosion Draws 2nd Wrongful Death Suit

A second wrongful death lawsuit has been filed over a natural gas rig explosion in Oklahoma that killed five workers. Betty Jo Cunningham of Seminole, Oklahoma, filed the lawsuit on March 9. Cunningham is the widow of Roger Cunningham, one …

PMA’s Gara Joins NSM Insurance as Director of AllComp Solutions

Program manager NSM Insurance Group reports that James Gara has joined the company as program director of AllComp Solutions, NSM’s monoline workers’ compensation division. Gara brings casualty underwriting experience in the middle and national account arena. As a national account …

Study: California Workers Not Weaned Off Opioids Had Much Higher Drug Costs

Injured workers who were not weaned off of opioids had much higher drug costs and higher treatment transaction volumes, according to a report released on Friday by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau. The report, Study of Chronic Opioid Use …

Southern California Foundry Hit With Fine in Accident That Caused Worker Amputation

A Southern California foundry has been fined more than $280,000 for workplace safety violations following an accident that resulted in the amputation of an employee’s legs. Cal/OSHA said this week that the fine results from an incident last August when …

Barred Video Leads Texas Court to Reverse Jury Finding in Workers’ Comp Suit

The Texas Supreme Court has disagreed with the decision of a lower court to exclude, without having watched it, a company’s surveillance video of an injured employee in a workers’ compensation case. Because it found the lower court erred in …