Source: https://www.sbmfirm.com/blog/2020/03/posthumous-ppdlwec-award/
Timestamp: 2020-05-26 04:12:43
Document Index: 59604949

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 15', '§ 15']

Home Workers' Compensation Defense Posthumous PPD/LWEC Award
Workers’ Compensation Law § 15[4] has long been the basis for posthumous schedule loss of use awards. But it has not been used as the basis for posthumous non-schedule awards – until now.
In Matter of Green v Dutchess County Boces (529624, 2020 WL 1056237 [3d Dept Mar. 5, 2020]) the Appellate Division, Third Department considered the claim of the survivors Eric Watson. Watson sustained a work-related injury to his right leg and was ultimately awarded a permanent partial disability with a 51% loss of wage-earning capacity, entitling him to wage-loss benefits not to exceed 350 weeks pursuant to Workers’ Compensation Law § 15[3][w]. He died for reasons unrelated to work injury 311.2 weeks later.
Thereafter, a claim was made that the remaining balance of 38.8 weeks of compensation be paid to his surviving child pursuant to Workers’ Compensation Law § 15[4][c]. The Workers’ Compensation Board denied the claimant. Claimant appealed.
After examining the statute, the Court ruled that Workers’ Compensation Law § 15[4] does not between schedule awards (WCL § 15[3] [a-u]) and non-schedule awards (WCL § 15[3][w]). The case was returned to the Board for “further proceedings not inconsistent with this Court’s decision”. Presumably, the Board is to award the remaining balance of 38.8 weeks of compensation to Watson’s surviving child.
“Moreover, if an injured worker dies without any reduced earnings, or while at preinjury wages, his or her surviving spouse and/or children would forever be deprived of any benefits because the deceased worker never sustained, and could no longer establish, a causally-related reduction in wages”
One thing is certain – New York workers compensation claims are now more expensive for employers than they were on March 4.