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

Case No. No. 12
Regular Panel Decision
Apr 01, 2021

The Matter of the Claim of Estate of Norman Youngjohn v. Berry Plastics Corporation

Decedent Norman Youngjohn, employed by Berry Plastics Corporation, suffered work-related injuries to his right shoulder and left elbow in 2014, leading to a workers' compensation claim. Before his permanent partial disability benefits claim for a schedule loss of use (SLU) award was resolved, Youngjohn died in March 2017 from a heart attack unrelated to his work injuries. He left no surviving spouse, minor children, or qualifying dependents. His estate sought the full value of the posthumous SLU award, arguing that 2009 amendments to the Workers' Compensation Law, which permitted lump sum SLU payments, rendered WCL § 15 (4) (d) inapplicable. This section limits an estate's recovery for unaccrued SLU benefits to reasonable funeral expenses in cases of unrelated death without qualifying survivors. The Workers' Compensation Board limited the award to funeral expenses, while the Appellate Division held that the estate was entitled to the portion accrued up to the date of death plus reasonable funeral expenses. The New York Court of Appeals affirmed the Appellate Division's order, concluding that the 2009 amendments on lump sum payments did not implicitly alter WCL § 15 (4) (d)'s limitation on an estate's recovery of posthumous SLU awards. The Court emphasized that section 15 (4) (d) remains in effect and must be harmonized with the amendments, limiting recovery to benefits accrued before death and reasonable funeral expenses for the remainder.

Workers' Compensation LawPermanent Partial DisabilitySchedule Loss of Use (SLU)Lump Sum PaymentEstate RecoveryFuneral ExpensesStatutory InterpretationAccrual of BenefitsNew York Court of AppealsUnrelated Death
References
35
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Estate of Moody v. Quality Structures, Inc.

Decedent, a laborer, collapsed and died on his first day of work at a construction site while pouring and raking concrete. His estate applied for workers' compensation death benefits for his children. The Workers' Compensation Board affirmed the claim, invoking the presumption of compensability under Workers’ Compensation Law § 21 (1), as the employer failed to rebut it with substantial evidence. An independent medical report by cardiologist Stephen Nash attributed death to cardiac arrhythmia and enlarged heart, with lack of sleep as a contributory factor, but did not rule out work involvement. The court affirmed the Board's decision, finding the cause of the fatal arrhythmia unexplained and the employer's evidence insufficient to overcome the presumption.

Workers' Compensation Death BenefitsCausally Related EmploymentPresumption of CompensabilityCardiac ArrhythmiaEnlarged HeartIndependent Medical ReportConstruction Laborer DeathUnexplained CollapseRebuttal of PresumptionSubstantial Evidence
References
7
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Feb 02, 1984

Krebbeks v. Regan

Petitioner, the widow of a Department of Transportation employee, applied for accidental death benefits after her husband's service-connected death in July 1981. Although her application for accidental death benefits was approved, these benefits were entirely offset by workers' compensation payments, leaving her with no current payments from the State Employees’ Retirement System. Subsequently, petitioner sought a lump-sum ordinary death benefit, which was denied because she was deemed eligible for accidental death benefits, even if offset. This appeal ensued after the denial of her application by a hearing officer and Special Term's concurrence. The court affirmed the denial, citing Retirement and Social Security Law § 60 (a) (3), which states an ordinary death benefit is not payable if an accidental death benefit is payable, with a narrow exception not applicable here.

Accidental Death BenefitsOrdinary Death BenefitsWorkers' Compensation OffsetRetirement and Social Security LawStatutory InterpretationDeath Benefits EligibilityPublic Employee BenefitsAdministrative Law AppealDeath Benefit Offset
References
2
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision
Dec 03, 2003

Beesmer v. Village of DeRuyter Fire Department

In 1975, the decedent, a volunteer firefighter, suffered a heart attack and continuously received workers' compensation benefits until his death in 2002. His claimant applied for death benefits, alleging a causal link between the 1975 injury and his death. A Workers’ Compensation Law Judge (WCLJ) awarded benefits after denying the employer's request for a second adjournment to depose treating physicians, a decision affirmed by the Workers' Compensation Board. The court found substantial evidence supporting the causal relationship between the heart attack and death, noting that a work-related injury need not be the sole cause of death. Additionally, the court upheld the WCLJ's denial of the adjournment, as the employer failed to provide a sufficient excuse for not scheduling depositions or serving subpoenas during the initial adjournment period.

Workers' Compensation Death BenefitsCausal RelationshipHeart AttackCongestive Heart FailureAdjournment DenialTreating Physician DepositionSubstantial EvidenceAppellate ReviewMedical OpinionVolunteer Firefighter
References
5
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Claim of the Estate of Kramer v. Ultra Blend Corp.

Decedent, a co-owner and employee of a vitamin blending company, suffered a fatal heart attack at work. His widow filed a claim for workers’ compensation death benefits, attributing the death to work-related stress. A Workers’ Compensation Law Judge initially awarded benefits, but the Workers’ Compensation Board reversed, finding the heart attack was due to non-work-related risk factors. The appellate court affirmed the Board's decision, noting that it is within the Board's discretion to resolve conflicts in expert medical testimony and that their decision was supported by substantial evidence.

workers' compensationdeath benefitsheart attackwork-related stresscausalitymedical expert testimonyWorkers' Compensation Boardsubstantial evidenceappellate reviewcoronary thrombosis
References
5
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

In re the Estate of Wilson

Dorothy S. Wilson, as executrix of the estate of Leonard R. Wilson, filed a petition for discovery against Lee Ford concerning the proceeds of Leonard R. Wilson's retirement plan, which named Ford as the beneficiary. Mr. Wilson died in 1985, having a vested benefit in the Corporate Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement for Cobblestone Enterprises, Inc. The court considered the 1984 amendments to ERISA requiring a qualified preretirement survivor annuity (QPSA) for surviving spouses. Despite the plan's amendment occurring after Mr. Wilson's death, a transition rule mandated the QPSA amendments be treated as in effect at the time of death. The court, citing no New York authority, concluded that given the Cobblestone plan was a 'defined benefit plan' and under the ERISA transition rule, Dorothy S. Wilson, as the surviving spouse, was entitled to the entire $8,643.38 proceeds of the retirement plan.

ERISARetirement PlanQualified Preretirement Survivor AnnuityQPSADefined Benefit PlanTransition RuleSurviving SpouseBeneficiary DisputeEstateProbate
References
2
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Claim of Dellauniversita v. Tek Precision Co.

The case involves an appeal from a Workers’ Compensation Board decision regarding a claim for death benefits. Claimant’s husband suffered a work-related injury in 1987 and later died. The claimant, as his widow, filed for death benefits. However, the claimant herself died before the causal relationship between her husband’s death and the 1987 incident could be established. The Workers’ Compensation Board ruled that her claim for death benefits abated upon her death. The appellate court affirmed this decision, citing precedents that claims for death benefits abate if a determination on the merits, such as causal relationship, has not been established prior to the claimant’s death.

Workers' CompensationDeath BenefitsClaim AbatementCausal RelationshipAppellate ReviewProcedural IssuesPrecedentLegal Interpretation
References
3
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Claim of Estate of Seitz v. Jacobson & Co.

This appeal concerns the timeliness of a supplemental application for review in a workers' compensation death benefits claim. John Seitz, a sheet metal worker, died from asbestosis-related lung cancer. His surviving spouse filed for benefits but died before causality was established, leading a WCLJ to close the case. The decedent's estate sought to reopen the case, and although a WCLJ initially ruled the claim abated upon the spouse's death, the estate filed for Board review. After being granted an extension by the Board's Office of Appeals, the estate filed a supplemental application arguing for benefits under Workers' Compensation Law § 16 (4-b). However, a Board panel subsequently deemed this application untimely and denied the claim. The Appellate Court reversed, finding the Board abused its discretion by rejecting the application as untimely after granting an extension, and also noted the Board's unexplained departure from prior precedents. The case was remitted to the Workers’ Compensation Board for further proceedings.

Death Benefits ClaimSupplemental Application ReviewTimeliness of FilingAbatement of Death BenefitsWorkers' Compensation Law Section 16 (4-b)Appellate Division ReviewAbuse of DiscretionBoard PrecedentRemand for Further ProceedingsAsbestosis-related Cancer
References
7
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Claim of House v. International Talc Co.

Arthur House suffered a compensable occupational disease in 1973, resulting in permanent total disability and received workers' compensation benefits based on his 1973 average weekly wage. He died in 1995 from lung disease. His widow, the claimant, filed for death benefits, contending the benefits should be calculated based on the average weekly wage of a comparable employee for the year preceding his death (March 17, 1994, to March 17, 1995). The Workers’ Compensation Law Judge and the Board, however, determined that death benefits should be calculated based on House's average weekly wage from the date of his original injury, April 5, 1973. This Appellate Division affirmed the Board's decision, interpreting Workers’ Compensation Law §§ 2, 14, and 38 to establish that the date of the original injury or accident is the basis for computing both disability and death benefits, not the date of death.

Death BenefitsAverage Weekly Wage CalculationOccupational DiseasePermanent Total DisabilityStatutory InterpretationDate of DisablementAppellate DivisionTalcosisClaimant's Widow
References
6
Case No. MISSING
Regular Panel Decision

Jamal v. Gohel

This case involves an appeal by the New York State Insurance Fund (SIF) from an order of the Supreme Court, Dutchess County. The Supreme Court had granted the plaintiff's motion to extinguish SIF's right to claim a credit or offset against Workers' Compensation death benefits and to compel reinstatement and retroactive payment of these benefits. The plaintiff had initially received death benefits from SIF after her husband's work-related death, and also won a jury award in a wrongful death action against a third party. SIF later asserted a right to a credit or offset against the death benefits for the jury award proceeds, suspending payments, which the plaintiff challenged. The appellate court reversed the Supreme Court's order, ruling that primary jurisdiction for determining the applicability of Workers' Compensation Law, particularly regarding an insurer's right to claim a credit or offset, rests with the Workers’ Compensation Board, not the Supreme Court.

Wrongful DeathWorkers' Compensation BenefitsInsurance FundCredit or OffsetPrimary JurisdictionWorkers' Compensation BoardAppellate ReviewDutchess CountyStatutory RightsDeath Benefits
References
7
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