Quote of the day
"The judge clearly sees an opportunity here to exploit a high-profile case for his own personal and political exposure,"
Bob Bennett, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, about a Democratic judge's decision to delay the trial of Tom Noe, who is accused of stealing from an Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation rare coin investment fund that he managed
A.M. Best Assigns Debt Ratings to St. Paul Travelers Notes
A.M. Best Co. assigns debt ratings of “a-” to the forthcoming aggregate $800 million senior unsecured notes due 2016 and 2036 to be issued by The St. Paul Travelers Companies, Inc. and leaves existing debt, financial strength ratings and outlooks of St. Paul Travelers and its insurance subs unchanged. Workers’ Comp Executive
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Person of Interest Surrenders in Death of Workers’ Comp Attorney
A man who may have ties to the death of Santa Cruz workers’ compensation Jay Bloombecker turns himself in to police. Bloombecker’s body was discovered Wednesday night in his office. KSBW-TV (Monterey)
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Maine High Court Upholds Workers’ Comp for Lunch Break Injury
The Maine Supreme Court rules that an Aetna employee who slipped and fell on an icy staircase while returning to work from her unpaid lunch break is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The court agreed with a hearing officer that the injury occurred on the employer’s premises and in the course of employment. By AP via Boston Globe
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Florida Justices: Injured Worker Can Sue After Seeking Benefits
A Florida electronics plant worker who lost all his fingers and thumbs and suffered third-degree burns over the majority of his body in a workplace explosion has not given up the right to sue his employer by seeking greater workers’ compensation benefits or filling out a routine questionnaire, the state high court rules. By AP via St. Petersburg Times
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Ohio GOP Boss Says Judge Plays Politics in Delaying Noe’s Trial
The decision by an Ohio judge to postpone Tom Noe’s trial on charges of theft, forgery, and racketeering in connection with his management of the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation’s rare coin fund to mid-October does not sit well with the chairman of the Ohio Republican party, who labels it a political move designed to curry favor prior to the November election. By Mike Wilkinson, Toledo Blade [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…
Challenge to Show Me State’s Reform Law Moved to July
A legal challenge to Missouri’s 2005 workers’ compensation overhaul is moved to mid-July. The plaintiffs, representing a number of unions and other interested parties, claim the legislation takes away important worker rights. By Steve Walsh, Missourinet
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West Virginia State Workers Sue for Lost Benefits
No injured workers have sued over benefits they lost in West Virginia’s shift from public to private workers compensation under BrickStreet Mutual, but four former state employees have filed suit over health benefits they claim they lost. The plaintiffs allege the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency will not allow them to return to its health plan after they retire, while permitting some former Workers Compensation Commission employees to do so. By Steve Korris, West Virginia Record [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…
North Dakota Employers to See Modest Rate Hike in July
An increase in North Dakota’s average weekly wage means most businesses there will pay about 3 percent more for their workers compensation insurance, starting next month, according to the Workforce Safety and Insurance Board. Eligible injured workers will see a 3.3 percent increase in their weekly benefit. By AP via In Forum
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