workers’ compensation News

More than 10K Jobs Lost in North Dakota’s Oil Patch Last Year

The coronavirus pandemic has had a significantly negative impact on North Dakota’s oil and gas industry, resulting in the shedding of thousands of jobs last year. The oil industry’s recovery has been slow. Job Service data show that North Dakota’s …

Illinois Shipping Firm Cited, Fined $156K after Worker Suffers Severe Injuries

An Illinois-based container shipping company faces proposed penalties of $156,038 after an employee suffered a leg amputation and crushed pelvis when he fell off and was then run over by a powered heavy-lift vehicle used to move and stack steel …

Video Surveillance Leads to Workers’ Comp Fraud Charges Against California Woman

Veronica Catalina Cortes-Ambrosio, 53, of Madera, Calif., was charged on two felony counts of insurance fraud after allegedly lying about physical limitations from an injury at work in an attempt to receive undeserved workers’ compensation benefits. An investigation by the …

Oklahoma Contractor Again Cited for Trenching Hazards, Fined $205.5K

Federal officials have cited an Oklahoma construction contractor for exposing its employees to trenching and excavation hazards, violations for which it has been cited previously. OSHA cited Cherokee Pride Construction Inc. of Sapulpa for serious violations related to excavation work. …

Former California Firefighter Faces Workers’ Comp Fraud Charges

Daniel Clampitt, 41, of Denair, Calif., was arraigned on four felony counts including insurance fraud, grand theft and perjury for allegedly claiming to be too injured to work and simultaneously collecting $94,788 in workers’ compensation benefits while also working for …

Oregon SAIF Declares $210M Dividend for Policyholders

Oregon’s nonprofit State Accident Insurance Fund Corp. (SAIF) on Wednesday declared a $210 million dividend for its policyholders and acknowledged the financial toll the pandemic has taken on Oregon businesses. “Oregon businesses continue to face tremendous uncertainty,” SAIF President and …

Study Shows NASIDs Growing in California Workers’ Comp

A new study shows that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) now account for more than one-third of all drugs dispensed to injured workers in California, triple the proportion for opioids. A study from the California Workers’ Compensation Institute released on Wednesday also …

Workers’ Compensation Remained Outlier as Commercial Prices Continued Rising in Q4

U.S. commercial insurance prices again grew significantly in the fourth quarter of 2020. Again, except for workers’ compensation. According to Willis Towers Watson’s Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (CLIPS), prices charged on policies underwritten during the fourth quarter of 2020 …

California Nutrition Assistant Arraigned for Workers’ Comp Fraud

Kia Lor, 54, of Merced, Calif., was arraigned on four counts of insurance fraud after an investigation by the California Department of Insurance found that she allegedly lied about the extent of prior injuries in an attempt to receive nearly …

Natural Gas Explosion Near Houston Injures Several Workers

Seven people were injured in a natural gas explosion near Houston, including one person who was flown to a hospital for treatment, officials said. Workers for Comcast struck a gas line while working in Klein on Friday, news outlets reported. …