Recent Developments in Workers' Compensation and Employers' Liability Law

• Pages: 469-498
• Date: 01 April 2022
• Published date: 01 April 2022
• Author: Lawrence D. McIntyre
• Subject Matter: Derecho Público y Administrativo

469

Lawrence D. McIntyre is a Law Clerk to the Honorable David N. Wecht of the Supreme

Court of Pennsylvania. All opinions are strictly those of the author.

RECENT DEV ELOPMENTS IN WORK ERS’

COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYERS’ LI ABILIT Y LAW

Lawrence D. McIntyre

I. Statutory and Regulatory Developments ....................................471

II. Theory, Principle, and Constitutionality ....................................475

A. Texas: Employee of Non-Subscribing Employer

Obliged to Arbitrate Her Dispute ........................................476

B. Kentucky: Proviso Directing Cessation of Benefits

Based on Old Age Is Constitutional .....................................477

III. Employer-Employee Relationship and Jurisdiction ................... 478

A. Maine: Aquacultural Worker Was Employee Under

State Act, Not a Seaman Under Jones Act ..........................479

B. Kentucky: Cleaner of Farm’s Guesthouse Was Excluded

as Agricultural Worker ..........................................................480

IV. Injuries in Course of Employment and Arising Out

of Employment ............................................................................480

A. New Jersey: Claimant Not Excluded Under Social

and Recreational Proviso .....................................................481

B. Oklahoma: Claimant Not Excluded Under Work-Break

Provision ..............................................................................482

C. New York: Restrictions on Telecommuter Course

of Employment Disapproved ...............................................482

D. Delaware: Claimant Barred by Reckless Indifference

to Danger .............................................................................483

E. Virginia: Claimant Not Barred Despite Allegation

of Violation of Known Safety Rule ......................................484

F. New Hampshire: Supreme Court Adopts “Chain-of-

Causation” Test for Suicide Cases ........................................ 485

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V. Casualties and Disablements Compensable ...............................486

A. Arizona: In Mental-Mental, Police Officer Fails

to Show Extraordinary Stress ...............................................486

B. Oregon: Court of Appeals Recognizes and Awards

Benefits Under “Mixed-Risk” Doctrine ...............................488

VI. Basis, Form, Amount, and Period of Compensation ...................489

A. New Hampshire: Employer Responsible

for Medical Marijuana ..........................................................489

B. Minnesota: Employer Not Responsible

for Medical Marijuana ..........................................................490

VII. Exclusive Remedy ........................................................................491

A. Illinois: “Borrowing Employer” of Temporary Agency

Entitled to Immunity ............................................................491

B. California: Estate of Deceased Spouse of COVID-19

Victim Had Cognizable Negligence Suit ............................492

C. Delaware: Suit by Estate of COVID-19 Victim Stayed

Pending Compensation Proceedings ...................................493

VIII. Settlement ....................................................................................494

A. Ohio: Hearing Officer Not Obliged to Rubberstamp

Compromise Settlement ......................................................494

B. Vermont: Injured Worker’s WCMSA Not Exempt

from Collection Action ........................................................ 495

IX. Proceedings to Secure Compensation ......................................... 496

A. Florida: Judge Must Undertake Daubert

“Screening” Analysis ............................................................496

B. Utah: IME Physician Owed No Duty of Care

to Examinee ...........................................................................497

This survey reviews significant statutory developments and appellate court

decisions addressing workers’ compensation issues for the period from

October 2020 through September 2021. Workers’ compensation systems

are state statutory regimes, and the direct effect of statutes and precedents

outside of their state of origin is necessarily restricted. Nonetheless, com-

pensation principles and laws have much in common among states and

much can be learned from studying how legislatures and courts of other

jurisdictions have treated similar issues. When state courts cannot adju-

dicate an issue based solely upon a statute’s plain language, and no prec-

edent of the jurisdiction is determinative, they often consider other states’

authority.1

1. See, e.g., Geraw v. Geraw, 257 A.3d 847, 853 (Vt. 2021) (citing Michigan and Rhode

Island law) (holding that law’s exemption of workers’ compensation benefits from claims

of creditors did not extend to child support and support obligations); Kirk v. Anderson, 496

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