Attorney Eric M. Christiansen's Legal Cases

Workers compensation

A.R. v. Paradise Hotels MGMT/Twin City Fire Insurance Co./CCMSI

Jul 09, 2015

OUTCOME: Housekeeper overcame insurance company’s aggressor and fraud defenses at trial, which were found to lack merit. Housekeeper was awarded ongoing medical benefits, as well as payment of her hospital bills.

Housekeeper was injured in an unprovoked attack by a co-worker. The insurance carrier denied the entire claim, alleging that the housekeeper was an "aggressor and provoked the attack." Insurance comp ... any also asserted fraud defense and claimed the housekeeper was not injured.

Workers compensation

C.F. v. Howard Leasing/North American Risk Services/Sunz Insurance

May 15, 2015

OUTCOME: Judge rejected all of the insurance company’s defenses and awarded lost wage benefits from the date of the accident to the present, ongoing medical care, and transportation/translation benefits for all medical appointments.

Undocumented worker hurt his back while lifting heavy materials at work. The insurance company denied the claim soon thereafter, claiming that the injured worker committed workers' compensation fraud ... by placing incorrect social security number on some forms.

Workers compensation

D.S. v. Riverside Behavioral Center/Liberty Mutual

Mar 25, 2015

OUTCOME: Upon review of the competing testimonies of the parties' vocational experts, the Judge of Compensation Claims accepted the opinions favorable to injured worker and awarded permanent total disability benefits.

Injured worker conducted a job search after she was terminated by the employer upon exhaustion of the allotted number of days of light duty permitted by the employer. Injured worker then was assigned ... permanent restrictions due to her work injury. Injured worker applied to over 100 jobs but was unsuccessful in her efforts of securing new employment. Relying upon this unsuccessful job search in conjunction with her physical restrictions, injured worker petitioned for permanent total disability benefits.

Workers compensation

L.A. v. Pines of Sarasota/Zenith Insurance Company

Jan 27, 2015

OUTCOME: IInsurance company failed to meet its burden on its fraud defense and its fraud defense was denied. Also, the Judge of Compensation Claims ordered the insurance company to authorize a medical provider in the local area.

Insurance company denied claims for local medical care and also asserted injured worker was barred from receiving further benefits for committing fraud, including medical care for her surgical back inj ... ury.

Workers compensation

J.C. v. Florida Underground/Summit

Dec 24, 2014

OUTCOME: Judge of Compensation Claims found that insurance company’s denial was improper and ordered insurance company to provide medical care and attention for both shoulders.

Injured worker injured his shoulders performing repetitive work duties. Insurance company denied care for the shoulders, claiming the shoulder problems were pre-existing and that injured workers’ curr ... ent employment was not the major contributing cause of the shoulder problems.

Workers compensation

I.V. v. Beall’s Distribution Center/Sedgwick CMS

Nov 25, 2014

OUTCOME: Judge determined that the employer’s refusal to pay temporary partial disability benefits was improper and ordered the employer to pay temporary partial disability benefits for up to 104 weeks..

Injured worker suffered two work injuries and returned to work on restrictions. Injured worker then traveled to Cuba to visit family, but was delayed in his return to work because his departure from C ... uba was delayed by Cuban government. Employer fired the injured worker, then refused to pay lost wage benefits.

Workers compensation

C.C. v. Goodwill Industries of Manasota, Inc./Patriot Risk Services

Sep 22, 2014

OUTCOME: Judge determined that the injured worker’s violation of company policy did not rise to the level of misconduct that would support denial of lost wage benefits, awarded temporary total and temporary partial benefits to the injured worker.

Injured worker hurt her back, leading to significant restrictions. Insurance company accepted the back injury but refused to pay temporary benefits after the employee was fired shortly after accident ... for violation of a company policy.

Workers compensation

A.G. v. Beall's, Inc./Sedgwick CMS

Sep 10, 2014

OUTCOME: After trial, including cross-examination of an employer witness, Judge of Compensation Claims accepted the testimony of the injured worker over the testimony of the employer witness and awarded medical care for the hernia, including a general surgeon.

Insurance company accepted a back injury related to the work accident, but denied responsibility for a hernia injury, arguing hernia was not related to work accident and that hernia was not timely repo ... rted. The injured worker dispute the lack of the report of the hernia, and his authorized physician testified a hernia was consistent with injury.

Workers compensation

W.D. v. Wellcraft Marine/Broadspire

Oct 07, 2013

OUTCOME: Judge ruled in favor of injured worker and awarded the motor-powered knee prosthesis.

Injured worker sought a motor-powered knee prosthesis. Insurance company denied the benefit, claiming that the knee prosthesis was experimental and there was a lack of medical necessity.

Eric M. Christiansen's Legal Cases (9)

A.R. v. Paradise Hotels MGMT/Twin City Fire Insurance Co./CCMSI

C.F. v. Howard Leasing/North American Risk Services/Sunz Insurance

D.S. v. Riverside Behavioral Center/Liberty Mutual

L.A. v. Pines of Sarasota/Zenith Insurance Company

J.C. v. Florida Underground/Summit

I.V. v. Beall’s Distribution Center/Sedgwick CMS

C.C. v. Goodwill Industries of Manasota, Inc./Patriot Risk Services

A.G. v. Beall's, Inc./Sedgwick CMS

W.D. v. Wellcraft Marine/Broadspire