Ohio reverses workers' compensation ruling
Injured workers seeking compensation can breathe a little easier, at least in Ohio.
We’ve followed other workers' compensation stories out of Ohio and this one is significant because the Ohio Supreme reversed an earlier decision.
The court ruled that a teenaged KFC worker who suffered severe injuries after violating workplace rules is nonetheless entitled to workers' compensation.
KFC fired David Gross, then 16, in February 2004 after he had been granted temporary total-disability benefits from a severe scalding incident at a KFC in Dayton, Ohio. The state Industrial Commission then terminated his workers' compensation payments.
Gross apparently attempted to clean a pressure cooker by boiling water in it. He had been repeatedly warned not to do so. Even so, he is entitled to workers' compensation benefits.
"Most of us on the claimants' side really felt that it was the entire workers' compensation system at stake here," said Gross’ attorney, Gary Plunkett. "We're obviously relieved."