Idiopathic Falls Supreme Court Case Legislation Introduced

February 21, 2019

Last fall, the Iowa Supreme Court overturned two lower courts and the state workers’ compensation commissioner in a ruling related to an idiopathic/unexplained fall due to an individual’s medical condition that happened to occur at the workplace. The Supreme Court’s interpretation is explained in an earlier ABI newsletter article. The Supreme Court established an “increased risk” test that the commissioner and his deputies must consider in cases of idiopathic falls. ABI was disappointed in the ruling and saw this as a clear expansion of Iowa’s workers’ compensation statute. A bill has been drafted to address this issue, HSB 181, that is narrow in scope, and a subcommittee has been scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 26. For more information, contact Nicole Crain.