News

SIGNIFICANT CASE SUMMARIES Pennsylvania Case Summaries Solid Waste Services, Inc. v. St. Luke’s Hospital (Bureau of Workers’ Compensation) Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania No. 69 C.D. 2022 Decided: April 25, 2023 It remains an unanswered question whether the Protz decision renders the trauma billing exception an unconstitutional delegation of legislative authority. Background Following a significant work… read more

SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATIVE UPDATES Maryland Legislative Update Maryland legislature passes a bill expanding the existing law to allow 25% of Workers’ Compensation benefits to be garnished to pay unpaid of past-due child support. Maryland General Assembly 2023 Session House Bill 800 Under current law, 25% of net recovery on a claim for personal injury is subject… read more

SIGNIFICANT CASE SUMMARIES Virginia Case Summary Abu Jalloh v. S.W. Rodgers Court of Appeals of Virginia 0920-22-4 Decided April 4, 2023 A “good faith effort” to provide a panel of physicians, which included providing copies of a panel list to claimant’s wife at his home, was insufficient to satisfy the employer’s requirement of providing a… read more

SIGNIFICANT CASE SUMMARIES Pennsylvania Case Summaries E. Appel v. GWC Warranty Corp. PA Commonwealth Court 824 C.D. 2021 Decided: March 17, 2023 Where a WCJ finds medical marijuana casually related to a work injury, the employer is required to reimburse the claimant for out of pocket expenses for the medical marijuana. Background Here, a WCJ… read more

SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATIVE UPDATES Maryland Legislative Update Attorney’s fees now allows payment of counsel fees (Claimant counsel) in exceptional circumstances when there is no compensation due to the Claimant in a WCC Award. This existing COMAR regulation was modified, effective 4/3/23 in answer to the WCC’s recent concerns that counsel for claimants were not regularly representing… read more