NM Seeks Public Input on Judge Reappointment

The New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration wants public input on the potential reappointment of Judge Douglas Christopherson.
His current term expires on Nov. 12, and his reappointment would be a new, five-year-long term.
Comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Aug. 11. “All voices matter when it comes to shaping the future of our agency and ensuring the fair administration of workers’ compensation law,” said WCA Director Heather Jordan.
“We welcome feedback from the public to help us evaluate judicial performance and strengthen trust in the system,” Jordan said.
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A new report from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines the trend of more injured workers receiving early care from nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
The analysis draws on detailed claims and medical data from 29 states, covering more than 80% of workers’ compensation benefits paid in 2022.
It includes injuries from Oct. 1, 2012, to Sept. 30, 2022, and tracks outcomes up to six or 12 months post-injury.
“There’s growing interest in understanding how provider type influences outcomes. Some worry that advanced practitioners may lack the specialized experience to manage certain injuries,” WCRI said.
The group tested these concerns by comparing claim outcomes when the initial provider was an advanced practitioner versus a primary care physician.
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Union Pacific Railroad was too quickly granted judgment against a car inspector whose brain injury-related job restrictions kept him off work for five years, a Federal judicial panel ruled last week.
The worker may be able to show he was discriminated against because he was considered disabled, a unanimous panel said.
The US Court of Appeals for the Eighth decision in David Meza’s 2022 lawsuit addressed potential differences between present and future impairments under the Americans with Disabilities Act and will provide guidance on handling situations where injured or ill workers are believed to pose a job safety concern.
Meza had worked for Union Pacific for over twenty years when he had a serious non-job-related motorcycle accident. It required him to spend several days in the hospital recovering from a brain hemorrhage.
Union Pacific was not as sure Meza was ready to return. Its medical examiner feared that his brain injury could cause unpredictable seizures—a conclusion consistent with medical guidelines from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, according to the July 25 ruling.
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