Year In Review

Buckley v. American Fast Freight, Inc.

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Buckley v. American Fast Freight, Inc.,[1] the supreme court held that expressly prohibited activities do not fall within the Alaska Workers’ Compensation Act’s definition of “arising out of and in the course of employment.” Buckley worked for Labor Ready, Inc., a temporary employment service. Through Labor Ready, he sometimes worked for American Fast Freight, Continue Reading »

Morrison v. Alaska Interstate Construction Inc.

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Morrison v. Alaska Interstate Construction Inc.,[1] the supreme court held that the substantial cause test under the 2005 amendments to the Alaska Workers’ Compensation Act requires the Alaska Workers’ Compensation Board to compare the causes of the need for medical treatment and decide compensation issues based on the most important or material cause. Morrison Continue Reading »

Ross v. Alaska State Commission for Human Rights

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Ross v. Alaska State Commission for Human Rights,[1] the supreme court held an administrative agency’s determination to be without error when, despite evidence detracting from its ultimate decision, the agency concluded there was insufficient evidence to support a claim of discrimination. Ross applied for the position of train master with the Alaska Railroad Corporation Continue Reading »

Rusch v. Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Rusch v. Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium,[1] the supreme court held when there is a dispute over the issues on which an employee prevailed for determining attorneys’ fees, the employer in a worker’s compensation settlement has the burden to show lack of merit in the employee’s claims. An attorney represented two injured employees of Continue Reading »

Unisea, Inc. v. Morales de Lopez

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Unisea, Inc. v. Morales de Lopez,[1] the supreme court held that an employer must pay job dislocation benefits after receiving a Permanent Partial Impairment (PPI) rating and must pay PPI compensation after each employer’s medical evaluation (EME) rating. Claimant Morales sustained on-the-job injuries, causing her orthopedic and psychiatric problems. In November 2014, Morales received Continue Reading »

Warnke-Green v. Pro-West Contractors, LLC

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Warnke-Green v. Pro-West Contractors, LLC,[1] the supreme court held the Alaska Worker’s Compensation Appeals Commission has the necessary incidental authority to reconsider its own non-final decisions. A worker injured in a work related accident won his appealed the decision of the Alaska Worker Compensation Board on the compensability of a modifiable van. After his Continue Reading »

Dodge v. Meyer

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Dodge v. Meyer,[1] the supreme court held it proper to not count an election ballot with filled-in ovals next to both candidates’ names and an ‘X’ over one of the filled-in ovals. The initial vote count of the 2018 race for the District 1 seat in the Alaska House of Representatives gave candidates Dodge Continue Reading »

Anderson v. State

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Anderson v. State,[1] the supreme court held a police officer validly seized the defendant’s clothing without a warrant because the officer saw the clothing in open view and had probable cause to believe the clothing was evidence of a crime. In the course of breaking into a home, Anderson injured the home’s occupants, and Continue Reading »

Baker v. Duffus

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Baker v. Duffus,[1] the supreme court found that the superior court erred in granting partial summary judgment by not considering whether counterclaims brought were compulsory to an amended cross-complaint, rather than the original cross-complaint, and therefore whether they related back to the original cross-complaint. Baker and Duffus were business partners in a limited liability Continue Reading »

Blalock v. State

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Blalock v. State,[1] the appeals court held that due to absence of clear legislative intent for it to have retroactive effect the “Stand Your Ground” amendment’s changes to self-defense law did not apply retroactively. After conviction for second degree murder, Blalock challenged, inter alia, the refusal of the lower court to instruct the jury Continue Reading »

Year In Review

Buckley v. American Fast Freight, Inc.

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Buckley v. American Fast Freight, Inc.,[1] the supreme court held that expressly prohibited activities do not fall within the Alaska Workers’ Compensation Act’s definition of “arising out of and in the course of employment.” Buckley worked for Labor Ready, Inc., a temporary employment service. Through Labor Ready, he sometimes worked for American Fast Freight, Continue Reading »

Morrison v. Alaska Interstate Construction Inc.

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Morrison v. Alaska Interstate Construction Inc.,[1] the supreme court held that the substantial cause test under the 2005 amendments to the Alaska Workers’ Compensation Act requires the Alaska Workers’ Compensation Board to compare the causes of the need for medical treatment and decide compensation issues based on the most important or material cause. Morrison Continue Reading »

Ross v. Alaska State Commission for Human Rights

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Ross v. Alaska State Commission for Human Rights,[1] the supreme court held an administrative agency’s determination to be without error when, despite evidence detracting from its ultimate decision, the agency concluded there was insufficient evidence to support a claim of discrimination. Ross applied for the position of train master with the Alaska Railroad Corporation Continue Reading »

Rusch v. Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Rusch v. Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium,[1] the supreme court held when there is a dispute over the issues on which an employee prevailed for determining attorneys’ fees, the employer in a worker’s compensation settlement has the burden to show lack of merit in the employee’s claims. An attorney represented two injured employees of Continue Reading »

Unisea, Inc. v. Morales de Lopez

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Unisea, Inc. v. Morales de Lopez,[1] the supreme court held that an employer must pay job dislocation benefits after receiving a Permanent Partial Impairment (PPI) rating and must pay PPI compensation after each employer’s medical evaluation (EME) rating. Claimant Morales sustained on-the-job injuries, causing her orthopedic and psychiatric problems. In November 2014, Morales received Continue Reading »

Warnke-Green v. Pro-West Contractors, LLC

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Warnke-Green v. Pro-West Contractors, LLC,[1] the supreme court held the Alaska Worker’s Compensation Appeals Commission has the necessary incidental authority to reconsider its own non-final decisions. A worker injured in a work related accident won his appealed the decision of the Alaska Worker Compensation Board on the compensability of a modifiable van. After his Continue Reading »

Dodge v. Meyer

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Dodge v. Meyer,[1] the supreme court held it proper to not count an election ballot with filled-in ovals next to both candidates’ names and an ‘X’ over one of the filled-in ovals. The initial vote count of the 2018 race for the District 1 seat in the Alaska House of Representatives gave candidates Dodge Continue Reading »

Anderson v. State

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Anderson v. State,[1] the supreme court held a police officer validly seized the defendant’s clothing without a warrant because the officer saw the clothing in open view and had probable cause to believe the clothing was evidence of a crime. In the course of breaking into a home, Anderson injured the home’s occupants, and Continue Reading »

Baker v. Duffus

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Baker v. Duffus,[1] the supreme court found that the superior court erred in granting partial summary judgment by not considering whether counterclaims brought were compulsory to an amended cross-complaint, rather than the original cross-complaint, and therefore whether they related back to the original cross-complaint. Baker and Duffus were business partners in a limited liability Continue Reading »

Blalock v. State

Posted on April 14th, 2020

In Blalock v. State,[1] the appeals court held that due to absence of clear legislative intent for it to have retroactive effect the “Stand Your Ground” amendment’s changes to self-defense law did not apply retroactively. After conviction for second degree murder, Blalock challenged, inter alia, the refusal of the lower court to instruct the jury Continue Reading »