Quote of the day
“When I was first assigned my independent medical exam, it was a doctor who has never approved a case for a firefighter.”
Glendale, Arizona veteran fireman Dan Morrow, who was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma on his burned hand
Iowa taxpayers to pay nearly $500K more in case involving former governor
A panel of Iowa state officials on Monday approved nearly half a million dollars more to cover attorney fees for former Gov. Terry Branstad’s challenge of a jury verdict that found he discriminated against the state’s former workers’ compensation commissioner on the basis of his sexual orientation. The former commissioner’s attorney recently filed a motion seeking $3.5 million in fees and costs, all of which must be paid by taxpayers if approved by a judge. Cedar Rapids Gazette
Tampa honors first black officer to die in line of duty, 80 years later.
The death of Tampa Detective Joe Nance in 1939 sparked a debate over whether the city owed a workers’ compensation settlement to his widow. On Tuesday, the city honored him as the first African-American to die in the line of duty with the Tampa Police Department. Tampa Bay Times
West Virginia court allows steroid injections for bus driver’s pain management
The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals has affirmed a review board’s decision in allowing steroid injections for a county bus driver’s pain. A claims administrator originally denied his request for repeat thoracic epidural steroid injections. West Virginia Record
Arizona: Chandler firefighters dealing with workers’ comp cancer battles
The city of Glendale, Arizona says a decision to accept or deny a firefighter’s cancer claim is based on the results of a medical evaluation performed by a physician selected by the third-party administrator. Several firemen who are battling cancer describe the daunting workers’ compensation claim process. KTAR (Phoenix) [with video]
Documents detail investigations following deaths on Florida road project
Following the fifth worker death since since the $2.3 billion I-4 Ultimate road project began in 2015 in central Florida, construction work was suspended temporarily on the project. An Orlando-area station sought and received hundreds of documents and pictures related to the first three deaths in the project. ClickOrlando [with video]