IOWA SUPREME COURT DEFINES WHAT A SHOULDER IS UNDER SECTION 85.34(2)(n).

On April 1, 2022, the Iowa Supreme Court handed down two opinions that significantly impact how shoulder injuries will be treated in Iowa for years to come. These are the much anticipated opinions in Chavez v. MS Technologies, LLC and Deng v. Farmland Foods, Inc. The Supreme Court’s primary opinion is contained in the Chavez […]

COVID-19: CHANGES TO THE WAY HEARINGS ARE HELD IN IOWA AND CONTINUED POSTPONEMENT OF IN-PERSON HEARINGS UNTIL OCTOBER 28, 2022

On March 11, 2022, Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Joseph Cortese extended the postponement of in-person hearings by the commission from April 30, 2022, through October 28, 2022. This is the same order that has been in effect in Iowa since March 16, 2020, but this order changes the way virtual hearing are held. Unlike the prior […]

IOWA WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COMMISSIONER RESOLVES SPLIT OF DEPUTIES ON PROPER INDEMNITY OWED FOR PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT TO SHOULDER INJURIES

The Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner recently decided an appeal in Carmer v. Nordstrom, Inc. that resolved a split of deputy commissioners as to how to compensate an employee who sustains bilateral shoulder injuries from a single accident. Our blog post for the lower deputy commissioner’s decision in this case can be found here. In Carmer, […]

IOWA WORKERS’ COMPENSATION DEPUTIES SPLIT ON BILATERAL INDEMNITY OWED FOR PERMANENT IMPAIRMENT TO SHOULDER INJURIES

Recently, a Deputy Commissioner caused quite the stir by breaking with the prior consensus among the Commission about how to compensate an employee who sustains bilateral shoulder injuries from a single accident. In Carmer v. Nordstrom, Inc., the claimant injured both of her shoulders in one work-related accident.  Her employer stipulated that her injuries were […]

COVID-19: IOWA COMMISSIONER JOSEPH CORTESE POSTPONES IN-PERSON HEARINGS UNTIL APRIL 29, 2022

On November 29, 2021, Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Joseph Cortese extended the postponement of in-person hearings by the commission from January 31, 2022 to April 29, 2022. This is the same order that has been in effect in Iowa since March 16, 2020. As part of the order, all in-person hearings scheduled to take place between […]

CBD OIL IN IOWA, COMPENSABLE?

In many shops and stores you will find CBD Oil being advertised as a legal substance that has health benefits. CBD Oil has been legalized in Iowa in a limited capacity for medical use only. Iowa Code § 124E. However, in the context of workers’ compensation, insurers and employers are not required to pay for […]
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