News Digest 4-20-2021

 

California: Simi Valley man found guilty of workers’ compensation fraud

The 49-year-old owner of a Simi Valley construction company who pleaded guilty to workers’ compensation insurance fraud and has repaid more than $150,000 in restitution to the state and is now awaiting his sentencing next month. He was found not guilty of a separate count of insurance fraud, as well as carrying a loaded concealed firearm in a vehicle and possession of an assault weapon, court records show. Simi Valley Acorn

 

Payments to injured employees in Wisconsin have been stagnant for years

With a new legislative session underway in Wisconsin, lawmakers will once again consider workers’ compensation and decide whether to increase benefits for the first time since 2017. Injured Wisconsin employees have not had an increase in benefits in four years because of political disputes over the state’s workers’ comp system. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

 

Arizona: Glendale mayor proposes raising taxes to pay for cancer coverage for firemen

The mayor of Glendale, Arizona has proposed a 2-percent increase in property taxes to help create a fund dedicated to paying for the healthcare coverage of cancer-stricken firemen. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey recently signed a bill into law that strengthens the presumption that a fireman’s cancer diagnosis is work-related. KTAR

 

Early deaths rising in workers using methylene chloride paint strippers

Researchers and physicians have found that early deaths of workers using methylene chloride paint strippers are on the rise. The solvent is widely used in paint strippers, cleaners, adhesives and sealants. The study is the first comprehensive review of fatalities linked to the deadly chemical in the United States and identified more deaths than previously reported. Science Daily

 

Missouri workplace death case dismissed for lack of workers’ comp ruling

A Missouri state appellate court has dismissed a lawsuit by the family of a man who died at an automotive plant, saying it should have gone through the workers’ compensation system even if the claims didn’t involve a workplace injury. Missouri Lawyers Media