ABI Participates in Annual Workers’ Comp Symposium

ABI Director, Public Policy Brad Hartkopf attended the 57th Annual Workers’ Compensation Symposium held last week in Des Moines. Panelists including claimant and defense attorneys, insurance adjusters, doctors, officials from the Iowa Division of Workers’ Compensation and others covered several important topics within the overall scope of workers’ compensation. Issues including work comp basics, drug testing, an agency case law update, the opioid crisis and medical marijuana in the workplace, an appellate case law update, vocational benefits for shoulder injuries and an agency update from Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Joe Cortese II were just some of the key matters thoroughly discussed over the course of the two-day event. One ruling discussed during the appellate case law update was Bluml v. Dee Jay’s Inc., which relates to idiopathic falls in workers’ compensation. ABI played an instrumental role in addressing this case during the 2019 legislative session via the passage of SF 507. The bill ensures that idiopathic or unexplained falls from a level surface onto the same level surface are not compensable under workers’ compensation. It goes into effect July 1, 2019.