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In California, an employer cannot single out an injured worker for disadvantageous treatment because of the industrial nature of the injury.

In Pennsylvania, an employee is not required to give an exact diagnosis of a work-related injury but must give a reasonably precise description of the injury to put the employer on notice.

A period of more than six months between an employee's work injury and development of a staph infection will not bar a finding of a causal connection, especially where he suffered from a condition that made him more susceptible to an infection.

In Iowa, expert testimony is necessary to prove a mental injury is permanent and a reviewing deputy may not substitute his judgment for that of an expert.

In Montana, a court may assess penalties against an employer where the employer forced performers to enter contracts to avoid paying them wages and circumvent state wage laws.

In California, employees who challenge the type of care rather than the continuing necessity of the treatment are not permitted attorney's fees.

The new version of the Form D-52, effective July 1, 2009, supersedes the previous version.

An employer's obligation to engage in the interactive process with an employee with a disability who is seeking reassignment does not automatically kick in.

In Illinois, an employee's injury sustained while assisting a coworker who is seeking personal comfort may occur "in the course of" employment under the "good samaritan doctrine," where the employee's conduct was reasonably foreseeable.

Although the JCC has jurisdiction to determine whether a worker complied with the terms of a settlement agreement, the JCC's interpretation of the contract may not render essential terms meaningless and rewrite the agreement.

On a petition to suspend benefits, the employer must prove that the worker refused reasonable medical services.

The Bureau of Workers' Compensation will hold a public hearing on Tues., Aug. 11, 2009, at 2 p.m., in Room D, 3rd Floor, 30 West Spring Street, Columbus to consider amendment of Rule 4123-6-08 Bureau fee schedule.

In California, combining permanent disability percentages for different injuries is no longer permitted.

A hearing on the notice of proposed rulemaking of 69L-24, F.A.C., Workers' Compensation Insurers' Standards and Practices, will be held on Wed., Aug. 5, 2009, from 10 a.m. to noon in Room 104 J Hartman Bldg., 2012 Capital Circle SE, Tallahassee.

In West Virginia, claims alleging wrongful termination and workers' compensation discrimination are not preempted by federal law where the claims do not require an interpretation of the collective bargaining agreement.

Under New York's amendment to its workers' compensation law in response to the terrorist attacks on 9/11, an employee's "volunteer" activities must fall into a category as defined in the law to be eligible for the extended filing date or to reopen claims that were previously denied for untimeliness.