injured worker News

Washington Workers’ Comp Scam Exposed by Gym Trips

A Washington man is being charged in a felony in a $28,000 workers’ compensation scam after a trip the gym seemingly exposed him. Omid Mohammadi Dashti, 41, of Renton, was charged with one count of first-degree theft. He’s accused of …

Washington Drafting New Ergonomic Rules for Airline Ground Crews

Scheduled airline ground crews, including baggage handlers and maintenance workers, file injury claims for work-related musculoskeletal disorders at more than 10 times the statewide average, according to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. WMSDs, which include strains, sprains …

Report Shows Opioid Use in California Workers’ Comp Continues to Go Down

A California Workers’ Compensation Institute analysis opioid prescription data between 2017 and 2023 from the California Department of Justice’s Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System builds on prior CWCI studies by tracking multiple opioid utilization metrics. The study examines …

Viewpoint: Landmark Workers’ Comp Subrogation Decision in Nevada

In one of the most pro-subrogation decisions in a generation, the Nevada Supreme Court has overnight turned Nevada into one of the most favorable states for workers’ compensation subrogation. With the stroke of a pen, the court in its Sept. …

WCIRB: California Workers’ Comp Written Premium in 2023 Was up Slightly

California workers’ compensation written premium in 2023 was slightly above 2022, while written premium for the first six months of 2024 is 2% lower than the first six months of 2023, a new report shows. The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating …

Report Examines Migraine Drugs as a Potential Cost Driver in California Workers’ Comp

Migraine drugs represent a small percentage of prescriptions dispensed to injured workers in California, but they make up a larger share of workers’ compensation drug payments, a new report shows. Fewer than 1% of all prescriptions dispensed to injured California …

WCIRB Summarizes 2024 California Workers’ Comp Legislation

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau is giving its take on bills passed and passed on by California Legislature this year. The Legislature recessed for the year and Gov. Gavin Newsom had until Sept. 30 to sign or veto any …

Washington Paper Mill Fined Nearly $650K in Machine Operator Death

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries cited and fined a mill operator in Camas following an investigation into the death of a worker who was crushed by a packing machine that had no safety guards in place. The …

Washington Metal Fabricator Faces Felony in $340K Workers’ Comp Scam

A Washington man who claimed he was too injured to work while operating a metal fabrication shop faces a felony charge in an alleged $340,000 workers’ compensation scam. Travis Lee Johnson, 52, of Spokane Valley, pleaded not guilty recently to …

Oregon Workers’ Comp Pure Premium Rate to Drop 3.2%

Oregon employers will pay on average less for workers’ compensation coverage in 2025. The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services the decline in workers’ comp rate, which marks 12 years of average decreases in the pure premium rate. Employers …