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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

Whitehead v. Holston Defense Corporation

Eoscoe E. Whitehead was awarded total and permanent disability under the Workmen’s Compensation Law due to pulmonary fibrosis, an occupational disease contracted during his employment at Holston Defense Corporation. The defendant appealed, challenging the compensability of the disease and alleging lack of proper notice. The Court affirmed the Chancellor's decree, finding substantial evidence of a causal connection between Whitehead's work conditions and his illness. The Court also determined that the employer's medical staff had actual knowledge of Whitehead's condition and concealed it from him. It broadly interpreted T.C.A. sec. 50-1101 to include Whitehead's ailment as a compensable occupational disease, overruling the assignments of error.

Occupational DiseasePulmonary FibrosisWorkers' CompensationTotal Permanent DisabilityCausationEmployer KnowledgeConcealment of ConditionStatutory ConstructionNon-scheduled Occupational DiseaseIndustrial Exposure
References
2
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Gorman v. Town of Huntington

This case involves Norma and Hugh Gorman suing the Town of Huntington for injuries sustained from a sidewalk trip and fall. The core dispute centers on the Town's defense of lacking prior written notice of the defective sidewalk condition, as required by local ordinances. However, the plaintiffs argued that the Town should be estopped from asserting this defense because a municipal employee instructed a member of the public to send notice to the Department of Engineering Services (DES), which managed sidewalk maintenance and its own record-keeping system. The court affirmed the lower court's denial of the Town's motion for summary judgment, agreeing that the Town was estopped. This decision established a new, narrow exception to strict prior written notice statutes, based on the Town's actions and the public's reliance, and awarded partial summary judgment to the plaintiffs, dismissing the Town's affirmative defenses regarding prior written notice.

Prior Written NoticeMunicipal LiabilitySidewalk DefectEstoppelSummary JudgmentNegligenceTrip and FallDelegation of DutiesGovernmental Immunity ExceptionsPublic Safety
References
66
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 03, 2013

Conroy v. Incorporated Village

The plaintiffs, former lifeguards, initiated an action against their employer, the defendant municipality, alleging a violation of Labor Law § 203-c due to the surreptitious installation of a video recording device in their changing room. Additionally, they asserted common-law claims for negligent and intentional infliction of emotional harm. The defendant subsequently sought to amend its answer to include affirmative defenses, specifically invoking the exclusive remedy of the Workers’ Compensation Law and noncompliance with notice of claim statutes (CPLR 9801 and General Municipal Law § 50-e). The court partially granted the defendant's motion, allowing the Workers’ Compensation Law defense to be asserted only against the intentional infliction of emotional harm claim. However, the court denied the application of this defense to the negligence claim, noting that Labor Law § 203-c provides cumulative remedies. Furthermore, the court denied the defendant's attempt to assert a defense based on defective notices of claim, deeming the plaintiffs' notices sufficient.

Labor LawVideo SurveillanceEmployer LiabilityEmotional DistressWorkers' Compensation LawAffirmative DefenseMotion to AmendNotice of ClaimMunicipal LawCivil Procedure
References
23
Case No. ADJ4086603 (LAO 0829698) ADJ4469358 (LAO 0829699)
Regular
May 01, 2009

ADA ROZENBLAT vs. CEDARS SINAI HEALTH SYSTEM

This Workers' Compensation Appeals Board notice addresses a dispute over attorney's fees and costs awarded as sanctions. The defense seeks $800.50 for opposing a petition for reconsideration, while applicant's counsel, Daniel Escamilla, concedes only $540.00. The Board finds $800.50 reasonable and proposes to award this amount to defense counsel, Pearlman, Borska & Wax, L.L.P. This award is separate from any other sanctions payable to the General Fund.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION APPEALS BOARDADA ROZENBLATCEDARS SINAI HEALTH SYSTEMADJ4086603ADJ4469358ATTORNEY'S FEESCOSTSSANCTIONSLABOR CODE § 5813PETITION FOR RECONSIDERATION
References
0
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 09, 2012

Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc., Gary Fears v. Searock, Jr., Charles

Charles Searock sued Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc. and Gary Fears for various causes of action arising from his employment. After their attorney withdrew, the defendants failed to appear at trial, resulting in a post-answer default judgment. Tactical and Fears filed a motion for new trial, arguing they did not receive notice of the trial setting, but the trial court denied it. On appeal, the court concluded that the appellants' affidavits demonstrated a lack of notice and that the trial court abused its discretion by denying the motion. The judgment against Tactical and Fears was reversed and remanded for further proceedings, while affirmed in all other respects.

Post-answer default judgmentMotion for new trialNotice of trial settingDue processAttorney withdrawalAbuse of discretionAffidavitsEvidentiary hearingPresumption of serviceImputed notice
References
32
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Claim of Cortese v. Rochester Products Division, G.M.C.

This case concerns an appeal from decisions of the Workers’ Compensation Board regarding a claimant who developed leg and back pain, culminating in a herniated disc, after a new work assignment involving lifting heavy carburetors. The self-insured employer appealed the Board's findings that the claimant sustained a compensable injury and that her failure to give timely statutory notice was excused. The court affirmed the Board's decisions, asserting that a compensable accident can arise from repetitive trauma leading to a sudden collapse, and the specific onset of severe pain satisfies the suddenness test. Furthermore, the Board properly excused the delayed notice as it neither aggravated the injury nor hindered the defense. Substantial medical evidence supported the causal relationship between the work activities and the injury.

Repetitive TraumaHerniated DiscLaminectomyDelayed Notice ExcusedCausal ConnectionSuddenness TestWorkers' Compensation Board AppealSubstantial EvidenceWork-related InjuryEmployer Liability
References
10
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Moore v. Eagle Sanitation, Inc.

Plaintiffs Kevin Moore and Roger Snyder filed a lawsuit against Eagle Sanitation Inc. and Michael Reali, seeking unpaid overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and New York Labor Law. They moved for conditional certification as an FLSA collective action, production of contact information for potential class members from April 2005 to April 2011, and court authorization to circulate a Notice of Pendency. The court, presided over by Magistrate Judge A. Kathleen Tomlinson, granted the motion for conditional certification, finding that the plaintiffs met the lenient evidentiary standard required at this stage. Additionally, the court granted the request for defendants to produce contact information for a six-year period to account for state law claims, emphasizing judicial economy. The court also authorized the dissemination of the proposed notice, with minor modifications regarding the inclusion of defense counsel's contact details and clarification on potential costs and discovery obligations for opt-in plaintiffs.

FLSACollective ActionOvertime CompensationNew York Labor LawConditional CertificationNotice of PendencyStatute of LimitationsDiscovery of Class MembersWage and Hour DisputeEmployment Law
References
26
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Lugo v. AIG Life Insurance

Plaintiff Farecilpa Lugo sued AIG Life Insurance Company and Hobart Corporation, seeking accidental death benefits under ERISA after her husband's death in 1984. AIG denied claims, citing late notice and the cause of death. Lugo argued that notice to PMI (Hobart) was sufficient, AIG waived the late notice defense, and her claim was within ERISA's statute of limitations. The court found AIG did not waive its late notice defense due to a reservation of rights clause, Lugo failed to prove PMI was AIG's agent, and the Plans' three-year limitation period, not ERISA's six-year period, applied, barring the suit. Consequently, the court dismissed the action, rendering the request for a jury trial moot.

ERISAAccidental Death BenefitsInsurance PolicyLate Notice DefenseWaiverEstoppelStatute of LimitationsAgencySummary JudgmentFederal Common Law
References
37
Case No. 13-12-00498-CV
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 18, 2013

Juan Alfredo Martinez v. Arthur Beckwith and Benton Beckwith D/B/A B & B Farms

Juan Alfredo Martinez appealed the trial court's summary judgment in favor of Arthur Beckwith, who was sued alongside Benton Beckwith d/b/a B&B Farms for work-related injuries. Martinez raised three issues on appeal: lack of proper notice for the summary judgment hearing, Arthur Beckwith's alleged waiver of the Texas Workers' Compensation Act (TWCA) affirmative defense, and an error in granting summary judgment. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgment, concluding that Martinez was not prejudiced by the notice issue, Arthur Beckwith had properly pled his TWCA defense, and summary judgment was appropriate as Beckwith conclusively established his TWCA defense, which Martinez failed to rebut with genuine issues of material fact regarding his employment and insurance coverage.

Summary JudgmentWorkers' Compensation ActAffirmative DefenseAppellate ProcedureNotice RequirementWaiverEmployment LawWork-Related InjuryDue ProcessTexas Court of Appeals
References
23
Case No. ADJ8312614, ADJ9055869
Regular
Sep 02, 2017

IMELDA TAPIA DE RODRIGUEZ vs. BIRRIERIA JALISCO, FARMERS INSURANCE, CYPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY

This case consolidates two workers' compensation claims filed by applicant Imelda Tapia De Rodriguez against Birrieria Jalisco. In one claim (ADJ9055869), the WCJ found a specific injury occurred but was barred by the post-termination defense; the Appeals Board affirmed this finding. In the other claim (ADJ8312614), the WCJ found no injury arose out of employment, which the Appeals Board also affirmed, relying on medical evidence and applicant's failure to properly cite record support in her petition. Applicant appealed, arguing the post-termination defense was inapplicable due to employer notice issues and that her credibility was wrongly assessed without proper interpreter use. A dissenting opinion argues that exceptions to the post-termination defense, specifically notice to the employer prior to termination and the date of injury occurring after termination, should have been applied, warranting reversal and further proceedings.

Workers' Compensation Appeals BoardReconsiderationJoint Findings and OrdersPost-Termination DefenseLabor Code Section 3600(a)(10)Statute of LimitationsLabor Code Section 3550Notice of RightsQualified Medical EvaluatorSubstantial Evidence
References
10
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