Quote of the day
"I'm going to be forced to live a whole different life because of this individual." Stanislaus County sheriff's deputy Mike Rash, about the meth-addled driver who crashed into the deputy's truck and trailer, crushing his feet, after a judge rules he does not qualify for workers' comp
Judge Denies Comp to Deputy Injured by Meth Abuser
A Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputy and member of the sheriff’s mounted posse, whose feet were crushed when a methamphetamine-impaired driver crashed his car into the deputy’s truck and horse trailer as the deputy returned home from shoeing his horse, cannot collect workers compensation. Judge Alvin R. Webber concluded that the deputy was not working when he was hurt, even though his actions were intended to benefit his employer. By Susan Herendeen, Modesto Bee
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Zenith Announces Second Quarter Results
Woodland Hills-based Zenith National Insurance Corp. reports net income of $54.1 million, or $1.46 per share, for the second quarter of 2006 compared to net income of $46.4 million, or $1.26 per share, for the second quarter of 2005. Workers’ Comp Executive
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High Desert City ‘Eliminates the Middle Man’
The city of Ridgecrest, which averages about 20 workers’ compensation claims annually, could save about $277,367 a year in workers’ comp costs under its new membership with the Reinsurance Authority, according to a deputy city manager. By John V. Ciani, Ridgecrest Daily Independent
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Kin of ‘Suicide by Cop’ Collect Workers Comp Benefits
The wife and children of a 32-year-old Virginia man killed when he stabbed a deputy in the head and shoulder with an ice pick can collect workers’ comp, after the Virginia Workers Compensation Commission rules that his death was linked to a work-related roof fall in 2001. His wife contends that her husband’s aggressive behavior was due to pain and depression after the insurance company ordered him to withdraw “cold turkey” from OxyContin. By Robin Knepper, Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…
NT WCB Probes Two Incidents in Two Months at Same Firm
The Northwest Territories’ Workers’ Compensation Board is investigating two serious accidents in two months involving the same driver at an Inuvik company. In early May, a man lost most of his thumb after a trailer was dropped on it; then earlier this month, a 21-year-old worker was nearly crushed to death beneath a forklift truck. CBC.ca
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New Garbage Trucks May Be Key to Cutting Workers’ Comp Claims
Some cities that have used garbage trucks equipped with a robotic arm to lift containers have experienced fewer workers’ compensation claims. The city of Akron, Ohio plans to introduce such trucks next month and hopes to cover the expense of their purchase in the workers’ comp savings. By AP via Akron Beacon Journal
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Opinion: An Attorney’s View of the New Business Ethic
A Maryland attorney contends that the reasons behind the rising costs of workers’ compensation are far more complex than the business community would have lawmakers believe. By Thomas Beach, Wilmington (Del.) News Journal
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Job Pressures Causing More Scottish Police to Go on Sick Leave
In Scotland, nearly 350 police officers—one in 50—are on long-term leave due to stress, injury or sickness, prompting police representatives to demand an increase in front-line staff. The Scottish Police Federation, which represents 15,000 rank-and-file officers, says the sickness rates reflect the growing burden on police, including monitoring of sex offenders and controlling the threat of terrorism. By Michael Howie, Scotsman.com [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…