In a recent Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court case, Worcester Regional Retirement Bd. & others vs. Public Employee Retirement Admin Comm’n, the Court held an employee’s receipt of vacation or sick time (supplemental pay) in conjunction with his/her receipt of workers’ compensation benefits is not “regular compensation” and therefore, cannot be used to deny an employee …
Read moreAccidental Disability Retirement: Victory For Retirees
WHO CAN APPLY FOR ACCIDENTAL DISABILITY RETIREMENT (ADR) Any person who pays into the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or a municipal retirement system is potentially eligible for Accidental Disability Retirement (ADR) benefits if he/she becomes permanently disabled from returning to his/her prior job as a result of a work related injury. Accidental Disability Retirement (ADR) benefits …
WHAT ARE LONG TERM AND SHORT TERM DISABILITY BENEFITS? Long Term Disability (LTD) and Short Term Disability (STD) are insurance policies often included in an employee’s benefit package from an employer. These policies can also be purchased directly from an insurance company. As most issues arise with LTD claims, this will be the focus of …
A workers’ compensation insurer was not required to pay for medical marijuana pursuant to M.G.L. c. 152 §13 and 30, which otherwise require payment for adequate and reasonable medical expenses. The case arose from a claim by an injured worker, Daniel Wright, for reimbursement in the amount of $24,267.86, for the cost of medical marijuana …
Read moreWright’s Case – Injured Worker Denied Reimbursement for Medical Marijuana
Workers’ Compensation Insurers Covertly Avoiding Covid Claims It appears there is a concerted effort on the part of workers’ compensation insurers and employers to avoid classifying COVID claims as work-related. Employers are being encouraged to pay sickened workers for a limited time hoping they will recover and return to work. If an Employee is paid …
Workers’ Compensation Protection for First Responders, Medical Personnel and Other Workers On March 17, 2020, state legislators proposed an emergency bill to cover first responders, medical personnel and other workers for COVID-19, the Coronavirus infection. This law applies to emergency medical technicians, emergency room and urgent care medical personnel, and emergency room and urgent care …
When you may be entitled to Workers’ Compensation benefits for Coronavirus (COVID-19) Under the Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation law, contracting an infectious or contagious disease, like COVID-19 (Coronavirus), may be considered work-related where the nature or circumstances of the employment create such an unavoidable risk that it is considered inherent to the employment. Click below to …
Opiate Pain Medication A worker’s compensation insurance company was ordered to continue to pay for an employee’s opiate pain medications over 20 years after her original injury. This case was decided by the Department of Industrial Accidents (DIA) Reviewing Board in Fall River, Massachusetts. A case summarized by workers’ compensation Attorney Juliane Soprano. Shelly Chapin, …
Injured worker’s medical marijuana claim ‘goes up in smoke’ at a time when the opioid epidemic continues to make headlines, here in Massachusetts and nationwide. Many doctors have begun prescribing medical marijuana as an alternative to addictive opioids and narcotics for patients suffering with chronic pain. Because of this, marijuana/cannabis/THC pills and edibles are becoming …
Read moreInjured Worker’s Medical Marijuana Claim Goes Up in Smoke
Social media isn’t always a friend in this is the age of “sharing” so beware, it can and will be used against you in a court of law. Everything from what we ate for breakfast to what we did last weekend is posted on a regular if not continual basis. It is not just words …
Read moreSocial Media Can and Will Be Used Against You in a Court of Law