February 9, 2022 (Richmond, VA) — Casey Ariail, partner and owner at River Run Law Group had the opportunity to testify before the Virginia Senate Commerce and Labor Committee on behalf of injured workers in Virginia.
Casey advocated to:
1) Include permanent partial disability benefits for body parts affected by the compensable consequence doctrine, which was struck down by the Supreme Court of Virginia in its decision Merck & Co., v. Vincent, 299 Va. 705 (2021); and
2) Allow workers earning the lowest wages in the Commonwealth to take advantage of cost-of-living (COLA) benefits, which they weren’t entitled to under the previous law.
The testimony took place on January 24, 2022, while the Commerce and Labor Committee listened to arguments for the passage of SB 351, which amends Virginia Code § 65.2-503.
In a unanimous 15-0 decision, the bill passed the committee and the full Senate and will now make its way to the House.
The change could be incredibly significant for those pursuing workers’ compensation due to degenerative injuries or illnesses.
Under this law, workers may receive subsequent benefits for injuries such as limb loss, vision loss, hearing loss, and other conditions that worsen over time or may be exacerbated by a related injury.
You can view the full proceedings here.
After his testimony, Casey received praise from the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, of which he is Co-Chair of the Publications Committee.
He continues to actively advocate for workers’ compensation issues in front of the Virginia Senate to help ensure ethical treatment of injured workers.
Congratulations to Casey on successfully advancing the amendment and strengthening compensation options for workers injured on the job.
Brooke Alexander
Brooke graduated from the University of Richmond School of Law after receiving her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Brooke worked for five years in private practice with a law firm specializing in insurance defense litigation before becoming the trial litigator for Allstate Insurance Company in the metro Richmond area.
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