The Top 10 Bizarre Cases for 2012

Over at LexisNexis they gave us their top ten bizarre workers compensation cases for 2012. Now each state has their own laws and none of these are Colorado cases. But they still are provocative. So for the that reason perhaps they are worthwhile to tell us that strange cases sometimes appear. Bizarre is the word used by the author of the LexisNexis article but these cases are, at least, unusual.

These cases discuss rattlesnake bites and exotic dancers and pigeon droppings but they also discuss how surveillance led to a tort claim. Being claimant oriented I do not approve of the outcome in all these cases and no one should consider them Colorado law. But they are unusual and interesting to read. They remind us that workers compensation is not a simple matter. Many cases can get quite complicated. Some can last for years. It is advisable that whenever possible a claimant should seek out an attorney to assist him. Even where a claimant has been treated nicely in the beginning you usually can use an attorney to set up the final settlement or resolution. Insurers will almost always take the lowest cost way to end cases and imply that is all you get. Historically having an attorney increases your odds for a better settlement. You often just get one shot at this for a problem that you may have for the rest of your life. In my experience settlements have been far higher with an attorney than relying on the insurer to be fair.