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Access over workers' compensation decisions, including En Banc, Significant Panel Decisions, and writ-denied cases.

Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Bennett v. Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre

In this workers' compensation case, the claimant appealed a decision from the Workers’ Compensation Board. The Board ruled that the claimant's cervical spine injury claim was barred by Workers’ Compensation Law § 28 because it was filed more than two years after the 2010 work-related accident, which initially caused back and leg injuries. Although the claimant argued that a carrier's payment for a 2010 CT scan constituted an advance payment of compensation, the court disagreed, noting the CT scan did not reveal neck abnormalities at the time and subsequent treatment focused on other injuries. The Appellate Division affirmed the Board's decision, concluding that substantial evidence supported the finding that the neck injury claim was untimely.

Workers' CompensationStatute of LimitationsTimeliness of ClaimNeck InjuryBack InjuryAdvance Payment of CompensationIndependent Medical ExaminationAppellate DivisionNew YorkWorkers' Compensation Board Appeal
References
5
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Perry v. Sentry Insurance Co.

This case concerns the apportionment of a workers’ compensation award for permanent total disability between an employer’s insurer and the Second Injury Fund in Tennessee. The employee, Roger Perry, sustained previous non-work-related neck injuries and a work-related leg injury, followed by a subsequent work-related neck injury in May 1993 that rendered him permanently and totally disabled. The central legal question was whether Tenn.Code Ann. § 50-6-208(a) or (b) should apply for liability apportionment. The Supreme Court affirmed the trial court's application of section (a), ruling that the employer's insurer is liable for 50% of the award and the Second Injury Fund for the remaining 50%, but clarified that payments from the Second Injury Fund should only commence after the employer's payments are completed.

Workers' Compensation LawPermanent Total DisabilitySecond Injury FundApportionment of LiabilityPrior InjuriesSubsequent InjuryStatutory ConstructionTennessee Supreme CourtVocational DisabilityMedical Impairment
References
12
Case No. 10-93-224-CV
Regular Panel Decision
May 18, 1994

Subsequent Injury Fund of the State of Texas (Formerly the Second Injury Fund) v. Larry Milligan

The Subsequent Injury Fund appeals a judgment awarding Larry Milligan lifetime benefits for injuries sustained at work. Milligan suffered two ankle injuries in 1987 and a third in 1989, leading to the total loss of use of both feet. He sued the Fund for lifetime benefits after settling with the workers' compensation carrier. The jury found permanent, total loss of use of both feet. The Fund challenged its statutory liability for lifetime benefits and the court's refusal to submit a jury question on total and permanent incapacity. The appellate court affirmed, finding the first issue unpreserved and the second resolved by a statutory conclusive presumption of total and permanent incapacity for the loss of both feet.

Workers' Compensation LawSubsequent Injury FundLifetime BenefitsTotal Permanent IncapacityAnkle InjuriesStatutory InterpretationAppellate ReviewJury InstructionsConclusive PresumptionOccupational Injuries
References
6
Case No. 2017 NY Slip Op 01454
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 23, 2017

Sokolovic v. Throgs Neck Operating Co., Inc.

This case involves an appeal concerning hold harmless and indemnity agreements. The Supreme Court, Bronx County, initially granted Vision Healthcare Services' motion to enforce a hold harmless agreement and Throgs Neck Operating Company, Inc.'s motion for summary judgment on its contractual indemnity claim against Vision. The Appellate Division, First Department, affirmed these orders. The court held that the plaintiff was obligated to hold Vision harmless from Throgs Neck's indemnification claim due to a hold harmless agreement executed during settlement. It further clarified that a nurse provided by Vision to Throgs Neck remained Vision's general employee, thereby triggering Vision's contractual indemnity obligation, despite being considered a special employee of Throgs Neck for the purpose of Throgs Neck's liability to the plaintiff.

hold harmless agreementcontractual indemnityspecial employeegeneral employeestaffing agreementsettlement agreementsummary judgmentnegligenceagency liabilityappellate review
References
3
Case No. 2025 NY Slip Op 02902 [238 AD3d 836]
Regular Panel Decision
May 14, 2025

Canales v. Rye Neck Union Free Sch. Dist.

The plaintiff, Osman Canales, an employee of Sea Breeze General Construction, Inc., sustained injuries after slipping and falling approximately five feet from a truck step at a construction site at Daniel Warren Elementary School. He initiated an action against Rye Neck Union Free School District and Daniel Warren Elementary School, alleging violations of Labor Law §§ 240 (1) and 241 (6). The Supreme Court granted the defendants' motion for summary judgment, dismissing the Labor Law § 240 (1) claim and parts of the Labor Law § 241 (6) claim, while denying the plaintiff's cross-motion. The Appellate Division affirmed the Supreme Court's order, ruling that the five-foot descent was not an elevation-related risk under Labor Law § 240 (1) and that Industrial Code provisions 12 NYCRR 23-1.7 (d) and (e) (2) were inapplicable because truck steps are not considered 'elevated working surfaces' and the injury resulted from a slip, not a trip.

Labor Law § 240 (1)Labor Law § 241 (6)Industrial Code 12 NYCRR 23-1.7Elevation-related riskSafe place to workSummary judgmentSlip and fallConstruction accidentTruck egressAppellate Division Second Department
References
13
Case No. No. 08-07-00346-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 24, 2010

W.C. LaRock, D.C., P.C. D/B/A Auto & Work Injury Clinic and Maria Del Carmen Gallardo/Rosemary Smith v. Rosemary Smith/W.C. LaRock, D.C., P.C. D/B/A Auto & Work Injury Clinic and Maria Del Carmen Gallardo

Rosemary Smith, an El Paso Police Officer, sued W.C. LaRock, D.C., P.C., d/b/a Auto & Work Injury Clinic, and its employee Maria Gallardo, alleging negligence after a physical therapy session aggravated a prior back injury. The City of El Paso, Smith's worker's compensation subrogee, joined as a plaintiff. The jury found Gallardo negligent, awarding Smith $488,000, which the trial court reduced to $339,983.58. Both parties appealed. The Court of Appeals found the expert testimony on causation insufficient to establish that Gallardo's therapy proximately caused Smith's reherniation, as the expert only stated it was "possible." The court reversed the trial court's judgment.

Medical MalpracticeNegligenceCausationExpert TestimonyPhysical TherapyHerniated DiscSpinal SurgeryProximate CauseLegal SufficiencyAppeal
References
33
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Johnson v. Second Injury Fund

Walter Johnson, who had previously lost vision in his right eye, suffered an injury at work resulting in the loss of vision in his left eye, leaving him totally and permanently disabled. He received benefits from Texas Employer’s Insurance Association and the Second Injury Fund. Johnson and his wife then sued Texas Industries, Inc. for negligence. Both TEIA and the Second Injury Fund intervened, seeking subrogation rights. The trial court denied the Second Injury Fund's claim to subrogation, but the court of appeals reversed. The Texas Supreme Court reviewed whether the Second Injury Fund is subrogated to Walter Johnson's rights in his personal injury suit. The Court concluded that subrogation is a legislative creation and the statute funding the Second Injury Fund explicitly enumerates funding methods without including subrogation. Therefore, the Supreme Court reversed the court of appeals' judgment and affirmed the trial court's decision, denying subrogation for the Second Injury Fund.

SubrogationSecond Injury FundWorkers' CompensationStatutory InterpretationExpressio Unius Est Exclusio AlteriusTotal DisabilityPersonal InjuryTexas Supreme CourtFunding MechanismsLegislative Intent
References
9
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Second Injury Fund v. Martinez

Vera Martinez, an injured worker, sought compensation after a workplace injury combined with a pre-existing condition resulted in total permanent incapacity. The Industrial Accident Board initially awarded her limited compensation. Martinez appealed this decision, filing suit against her compensation carrier and, over seven months later, against the Second Injury Fund. The appellate court addressed whether the statutory 20-day period for filing suit after appealing an Industrial Accident Board decision applies to claims against the Second Injury Fund. The court held that this jurisdictional prerequisite applies, and because Martinez failed to timely file suit against the Second Injury Fund, the trial court lacked jurisdiction over the Fund. Consequently, the judgment against the Second Injury Fund was reversed.

Workers' CompensationSecond Injury FundTexas LawJurisdictionTimelinessStatutory InterpretationAppellate ProcedureIndustrial Accident BoardPermanent IncapacityPolio
References
10
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Second Injury Fund v. American Motorists Insurance Co.

This case addresses whether a 1971 amendment to Texas workers' compensation law (Article 8306, Sections 12c and 12c-l) permits an insurance carrier to be reimbursed from the Second Injury Fund when an employee's total and permanent incapacity results from a combination of general, rather than specific, injuries. The trial court had granted a $16,000 judgment for the carrier, American Motorist Insurance Company, but the Second Injury Fund appealed. Citing the precedent set in Second Injury Fund v. Keaton, the appellate court clarified that the 1971 amendment did not expand the fund's liability beyond specific injuries. The court emphasized that legislative intent to alter this established rule was not evident in the amendment. Consequently, the appellate court reversed the trial court's judgment, ruling against reimbursement for general injuries.

Second Injury FundWorkers' CompensationGeneral InjuriesSpecific InjuriesReimbursementStatutory InterpretationArticle 8306Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St.Appellate ReviewLegislative Intent
References
6
Case No. M2004-01683-WC-R3-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Sep 22, 2005

Larry Hopper v. Oshkosh B'Gosh And State of Tennessee, Department of Labor, Division of Workers' Compensation, Second Injury Fund

Larry Hopper, employed by OshKosh B’Gosh, sustained a back injury in 1996 and settled the workers' compensation claim for 20% vocational disability in 1997. After losing his job, he sought to reopen the settlement, filing a motion for reconsideration against the Second Injury Fund only. The trial court granted this, increasing his vocational disability by 30% and assigning liability to the Second Injury Fund. On appeal, the Special Workers’ Compensation Appeals Panel reversed the trial court's decision, finding that the Second Injury Fund's liability is limited to subsequent compensable injuries, not the initial injury for which reconsideration was sought. Therefore, Mr. Hopper’s claim against the Second Injury Fund for a first injury reconsideration was deemed to lack standing and was dismissed.

Workers' CompensationSecond Injury FundVocational DisabilityReconsideration of SettlementStatute of LimitationsSubject Matter JurisdictionAppellate ReviewStatutory ConstructionPre-existing InjuryEmployer Liability
References
11
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