Even so, employers are best protected in giving statutory notice and medical providers are best protected in assuring that continued care remains authorized.

Notification requirements imposed by Iowa’s workers’ compensation law upon employers authorizing care for an injured employee took center stage in a recent decision of the Iowa Supreme Court. In that case, Ramirez-Trujillo v Quality Egg, L.L.C., et. al. (No. 14-0640, filed April 15, 2016), an employee suffered back injuries from a slip and fall at work. The employer acknowledged the workplace injury and authorized care through a care provider selected by the employer. The employee received treatment for acute low back pain and muscle spasms until the authorized provider released the employee to return to full duty work without restrictions. Weeks later, however, the employee returned to the authorized care provider for additional treatment for acute low back pain and muscle spasms over a period of several months.Continue Reading Iowa Supreme Court Crafts An Avenue Of Relief For Employers Who Fail To Notify Injured Workers That Medical Care Is No Longer Authorized