On Thursday, September 17, 2020, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 1159. The bill replaces Newsom’s Executive Order N-62-20 and extends the presumption of industrial injury to certain employees who fulfill the criteria...more
As soon as Governor Newsom signs the bill, California employers must abide by SB 1159 which creates for some employees an expanded presumption that COVID-19 caused illness or death qualifies for workers’ compensation...more
In City of Petaluma v. WCAB and Lindh, (A153811, Filed 12/10/18), the California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, rejected Applicant’s claim that apportionment of permanent disability may not reflect a previously...more
The California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, in Adrian Camacho v. Target Corporation, D073280 (June 8, 2018), determined that for a workers’ compensation settlement to effectively bar a civil action for...more
In County of San Diego v. WCAB and Kyle Pike, (D072648, filed 3/6/18), the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, rejected Applicant’s claim that temporary disability benefits are payable more than five years...more
In State Compensation Insurance Fund v. WCAB and Jose Guzman, (H044300, filed 1/30/18, publication order 2/23/18), the California Court of Appeal, Sixth Appellate District, rejected Applicant’s argument that a psychiatric...more
In Delane Hurley v. California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, D070098 (February 21, 2018) plaintiff Hurley recovered damages for intentional and negligent infliction...more
In Duncan v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Cert. for Pub. on 12/13/17, No. G054220), the California Court of Appeal held that a plaintiff-employee is not entitled to reduce her employer’s lien to recover paid temporary disability,...more
In M.F. v. Pacific Pearl Hotel Management LLC (Cal. Ct. App., Oct. 26, 2017, No. D070150) 2017 WL 4831603, a hotel housekeeper (known as M.F. to preserve her privacy) was assaulted and raped at work by a trespasser known to...more
It is well-established that the workers’ compensation system serves as the exclusive remedy for an employee who suffers injuries arising during the course and scope of employment, including psychiatric injuries. Recently,...more
In Alvarez v. Seaside Transportation Services, LLC et al. (No. B275980, filed July 20, 2017), Division Eight of the Second Appellate District affirmed a trial court grant of summary judgment to defendants based on the...more
Workers’ compensation litigation often is driven by disagreement over the apportionment of permanent disability. A vast body of case law exists reflecting the courts’ efforts to resolve conflicts between the provisions of the...more
On June 1, 2015, the California Court of Appeal (Second Appellate District) in Noe v. Superior Court of Los Angeles (Levy) (Case No. B259570) extended the scope of liability under California Labor Code section 226.8....more
The California Court of Appeal addressed the scope of the Going And Coming Rule in its decision, Craig Schultz v. WCAB and Joint Test Tactics and Training (JT3), 2015 S.O.S. 99, January 6, 2015....more