Monthly Archives: March 2019

Last week, a California jury determined Monsanto’s popular Roundup weed killer was a “substantial factor” in causing a longtime customer’s non-Hodgkin lymphoma. What was left to figure out was how culpable the company was in creating a dangerous product and failing to warn consumers. We now have our answer. In phase two of Edwin Hardeman’s trial, [...]

With yesterday’s release of a report by California State Auditor Elaine Howle, lingering questions have now been answered about the 2018 sudden departure of Christine Baker from her post as Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations. Howle’s report details a pattern of nepotism, lies, favoritism, manipulation, retaliation, creation of a culture of fear [...]

Scientists can’t seem to agree on glyphosate. The popular weed-killer ingredient was deemed “probably carcinogenic” by the World Health Organization in 2015, but the EPA in 2017 said it was “not likely to be carcinogenic to humans.” And then a new study suggests people exposed to large doses of the chemical have a heightened risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. But while [...]

How has the law been developing on the “violent act” exception to California Labor Code 4660.1(c)(1)? That’s an issue I had occasion to look at recently as I prepared for a presentation on a panel with defense attorney Jake Jacobsmeyer at the yearly Montarbo Seminar in Sacramento. We spoke at the invitation of Red Bluff based [...]

A lawsuit filed against Universal Studios is seeking $15,000 in damages after a mother says her son was injured on the E.T. ride at the theme park in January. According to the suit, Tiago Perez’s left foot got stuck between the ride and a cement offloading area near the end, crushing his foot and breaking multiple [...]

We all know distracted driving is a problem. Many of us are using “do not disturb” functions that can mute alerts when we’re on the road. Even if we’re not willing to completely give up our smart phones and watches while behind the wheel, we know that hands-free options are better. And states are passing [...]

Working alongside 4,000-lb wild animals may seem like an inherently dangerous job. And wildlife lovers may not have a whole lot of sympathy for a zoo employee injured by an animal that has already tried to escape twice and should be roaming free in the grasslands of Central Africa. But a female zookeeper struck by “Archie’s” [...]

In 2016, a Connecticut judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre against Remington, the manufacturer of the weapon used in the killings. But this week, the Connecticut Supreme Court revived part of the lawsuit, ruling that federal protections did not prevent the families from bringing a lawsuit based on [...]

Former WCAB Commissioner Frank Brass passed away yesterday. Brass had been in declining health for several years and had quietly retired from the WCAB at the start of 2018. He was a great guy and a dedicated public servant during his time on the board. In case you missed it, here is what I wrote [...]

So far 2019 has been a sleepy year for California workers comp developments. But that may be changing. The California Legislature’s Joint Legislative Audit Committee has now approved a request that the California State Auditor investigate the DIR/DWC’s oversight of the California QME system. The audit request, filed by California Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio (D-West Covina) [...]