Pa. court sides with employer after truck fire

• A Pennsylvania court held that an employee was not subjected to abnormal working conditions from a truck fire that was extinguished without any physical injury
• The claimant alleged he sustained Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in February 2015, when the tractor-trailer he was driving caught fire.
• The workers’ compensation judge issued a decision, holding that the claimant did sustain a PTSD injury and awarded benefits, and both the claimant and the employer appealed to the Commonwealth Court.
• The court agreed and found that the truck fire the claimant experienced was not an “extraordinarily unusual” event for him.
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Pinnacol rated as the highest-performing workers’ comp carrier in Colorado

• Recent data from the Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation revealed that Pinnacol Assurance is again the top-performing workers’ compensation carrier for injured workers.
• According to the latest state data, Pinnacol had a score of 4.2 out of 5, as rated by workers who’ve had claims.
• This marks the ninth consecutive year that Pinnacol held the top position, achieving almost a decade of outperforming its national competitors.
• Pinnacol has achieved an injured worker satisfaction rating among Spanish-speaking workers of 4.48 out of 5.
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Lousiana mulling workers’ comp bills

• At least 15 proposed laws aim for public-sector unions’ ability to bargain with employers, the system for compensating workers who are injured.
• Nine measures would impose sweeping changes to the state workers’ compensation system.
• The legislation would shorten periods when disabled workers can collect pay, and lower the rates at which doctors can be paid for treating workers’ compensation recipients.
• A measure would abolish a stakeholder advisory board consisting of labor and industry interests, among other bills.
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OSHA investigates after zoo employee attacked by Komodo dragon

• An OSHA investigation showed no employee safety standards were violated after a Komodo dragon attacked an Ohio zoo employee.
• The zoo said the worker suffered injuries while in the Komodo Kingdom employee service area but it’s unclear what led to the attack.
• The worker was recovering at home following the attack.
• The Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute said a Komodo dragon attack can be fatal to humans.
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