NWCDN Members regularly post articles and summary judgements in workers’ compensations law in your state.
Select a state from the dropdown menu below to scroll through the state specific archives for updates and opinions on various workers’ compensation laws in your state.
Contact information for NWCDN members is also located on the state specific links in the event you have additional questions or your company is seeking a workers’ compensation lawyer in your state.
Death investigation professionals aka last responders must have a powerful
lobby. DWC adopted rule amendments that take effect January 29, 2026 to
implement Texas Labor Code Section 504.057 which requires expedited medical
benefits and accelerated medical dispute resolution for claims for medical
benefits by a “death investigation professional” who sustains a serious bodily
injury in the course and scope of employment, and requires that the death
investigation professional inform DWC and the independent review organization
that a contested case hearing or appeal involves a death investigation
professional.
When the legislature enacts laws that provide preferential treatment for such a
narrowly defined class of injured workers, it can cause more problems than it
solves with increased regulatory complexity, among other things. We
recommend doing a study in a year or two to see how many times these new “last
responder” rules are invoked. Let us know your prediction!
Copyright 2026, Stone Loughlin & Swanson, LLP