In a recent decision, Hidalgo v. Ducoing Management, Inc., the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) addressed whether lodging and food allowances should be included in the calculation of a worker’s wages for temporary disability benefits. The case involved an injured laborer who claimed weekly earnings of $1,658.46, while the employer argued that his earnings were […]
On May 16, 2024, the Fresno Bee reported that California regulators were accusing a business owner in Fresno of workers’ compensation fraud. Heigo Kubar—the former owner of a Fresno-based trucking company—is facing allegations that he underreported company payroll by approximately $2 million. Mr. Kubar is facing three felony criminal counts. He had pleaded not guilty […]
In a recent decision, the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) ordered the reconsideration of a denied workers’ compensation claim involving a case of advanced Valley Fever, also known as disseminated coccidioidomycosis. This decision underscores the complexities of proving workplace-related illnesses and the importance of comprehensive evidence and expert testimony. Case Background The case involves […]
In California, employers are required to carry no-fault workers’ compensation insurance coverage for their employees. If a person is hurt on the job, they can file for benefits. However, California Labor Code § 3208.3(d) states that employers cannot be held liable through a workers’ compensation claim for a “psychiatric injury” of an employee who has […]
An employee who is injured on the job has the right to file for workers’ compensation benefits. They cannot be punished for doing so. Indeed, even if an employer believes that a worker is filing a false claim, retaliation should be avoided. Under California Labor Code § 132(a), an employer that engaged in retaliation can […]
In an important decision safeguarding employee medical privacy rights, a panel of the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board granted a petition for removal and rescinded a judge’s order requiring an injured worker to disclose her complete 10-year medical treatment history. The case involved Jennifer Reveles, an employee who suffered a workplace injury while employed by […]
In a 2023 panel case Richard Beck v. Cal Trans, State Compensation Insurance Fund, 2023 Cal. Wrk. Comp. P.D. LEXIS 248, involving a 58-year-old heavy equipment operator who suffered a hand and wrist injury in 2012, the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) denied the defendant’s petition for the extraordinary remedy of removal after a judge […]
A recent en banc decision from California’s Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board serves as a stern warning to attorneys: abuse of legal procedures to cause delay will not be tolerated and can result in severe monetary sanctions. In the consolidated matter of Alfredo Ledezma et al. v. Kareem Cart Commissary and Mfg., the Appeals Board imposed […]
What happens if one of your employees aggravates a pre-existing injury while on the job? The short answer is that they can still file for workers’ compensation insurance benefits. That being said, depending on the specific situation, the cost of the claim may be covered, at least in part, by our state’s Subsequent Injuries Benefits […]
On March 21, 2024, CBS News reported that a former human resources (HR) manager in San Francisco misappropriated more than $600,000.00 in workers’ compensation funds. Stanley Ellicott has been arrested and is now facing dozens of serious criminal charges. Within this article, our Fresno workers’ compensation defense attorney provides a more comprehensive discussion of the […]
