Insurance Carrier Covering Worker’s Initial Injury Wage-Loss Benefits May Apportion Liability for Wage-Loss Benefits With Insurance Carrier Covering Worker’s Second Disabling Injury Suffered While the Employee was Performing “Reasonable Employment” Work

In a published opinion after a remand order from the Michigan Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals has ruled that under the Workers' Disability Compensation Act (WDCA), an insurance carrier responsible for paying worker's compensation (wage-loss benefits) for an employee's initial disabling injury, may apportion its liability for wage-loss benefits with the insurance carrier covering [...]

Court of Appeals Holds All Three Criteria in MCL 418.161(1)(n) Must Be Met Before a Person Can Be Considered an “Independent Contractor” as “Opposed to an Employee” Under Workers’ Compensation Insurance Policy

In  a published decision released yesterday, Auto Owners Ins Co v. All Star Lawn, et al Auto Owners Ins Co v. All Star Lawn, et al, the Court of Appeals concludes that all three criteria in MCL 418.161(1)(n) of the Workers Disability Compensation Act (WDCA) must be met before a person can be considered an “independent [...]

Workers’ Compensation Claimants Must Establish “Stokes” Evidence Even for Closed Period of Disability

In an unpublished opinion released yesterday (Tatar v. Ryder.OPN), the Court of Appeals affirmed the Michigan Compensation Appellate Commission’s decision to overturn a closed period award of workers' compensation benefits. The Commission ruled Plaintiff's failure to meet his burden of proof under Stokes, that he was unable to find jobs that remained within his qualifications and [...]

Sixth Circuit Affirms District Court’s Judgment for GM in Class Action Brought by Retirees to Bar Coordination of Pension and Workers’ Compensation Benefits

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed Chief Judge Gerald Rosen's decision granting summary judgment to General Motors in a class action filed by former GM employees, who filed suit to stop GM from "coordinating", i.e., reducing workers' compensation benefits based on disability pension benefits to which they were entitled.  The underlying facts stem [...]