12 Stories We Liked in ’25 (plus 12 More We also Liked)

Year in Review

As we close out an old year and welcome a new, it's a good time to take a look back at what stood out in the previous 12 months. So, check out our picks for best stories (and their plus-ones) from each month in 2025.

January

Top Spot: The Value of Continuous Learning, by Ronna Ruppelt

Why it made the list: As we kicked off a new year, it reminded us that continuous learning never has to stop and that several key ingredients make lifelong learning especially valuable.

Honorable Mention: Worker’s First Time on Conveyor Belt Results in Severed Finger, but No Cause for Tort Claim, by Frank Ferreri

Why it made the list: Exclusive remedy cases are always a good reminder of what the "Grand Bargain" is all about.

February

Top Spot: Understanding Immediate Emotional Responses to Injury, by Dr. Claire Muselman

Why it made the list: A workplace injury involves more than just dollars and cents and from the beginning, is deeply human.

Honorable Mention: The Mystery of the Case of Water that Climbed 7 Steps, by Chris Parker

Why it made the list: We love a good puzzler, so this feature got our minds in gear.

March

Top Spot: Women’s History Month 2025: Get Ready for a Month of Power, Progress, and Possibility, by Dr. Claire Muselman

Why it made the list: Women's History Month has easily become our favorite time of year.

Honorable Mention: Welcome to ‘Good Humans, Doing Good Things in our Industry’, by Kristin Green

Why it made the list: We love learning about people making the industry a better place, and Kristin Green is one of the best at that.

April

Top Spot: Return-to-Work Programs and Vocational Rehabilitation: Rebuilding Lives Through Meaningful Work, by Natalie Torres

Why it made the list: RTW is a perennial top-priority issue, and Natalie Torres brings the experience and analysis to make it understandable and applicable to workplaces.

Honorable Mention: When You don’t Know What to Say at End of Life, Try These Four Phrases, by Anne Llewellyn

Why it made the list: Workers' compensation nurse case managers often have difficult tasks to carry out, but Anne Llewellyn reminds us there are ways to get through the toughest times.

May

Top Spot: Ambition ain't Dirty, by Dr. Claire Muselman

Why it made the list: That's your crown, Queen. Take it.

Honorable Mention: Roofer’s Fall without Harness doesn’t Trigger Idaho’s ‘Unprovoked Physical Aggression’ Rule, by Frank Ferreri

Why it made the list: Idaho's top court clarified a piece of workers' compensation compliance.

June

Top Spot: The Drug Intoxication Defense to Workers’ Compensation Compensability in Mississippi, by Chris Parker

Why it made the list: Do you know the rule? Chris Parker makes sure you do.

Honorable Mention: Mind the Machine: The Potential Hidden Risks of Utilizing AI in Medicare Set-Asides, by Heather Schwartz Sanderson

Why it made the list: AI's here to stay, but it helps to be cautious.

July

Top Spot: Acute Low Back Pain: Be Careful what you Assume, by Anne Stanco

Why it made the list: When it comes to pain, you might think you know it all, but Anne Stanco shows why those assumptions might be misplaced.

Honorable Mention: IME, Surveillance Video Call into Question Worker’s Claims about Shoveling Injury, by Frank Ferreri

Why it made the list: Video doesn't lie.

August

Top Spot: Tales from Working at OSHA, by Edward Stern

Why it made the list: We were delighted to get some behind-the-scenes info from an OSHA vet.

Honorable Mention: Answering the Call: Kind Souls Foundation Seeks Volunteers to Be the Human Voice of Hope, by Dr. Claire Muselman

Why it made the list: KSF does amazing work.

September

Top Spot: Rape, Revenge Porn Allegations Can’t Escape New York’s Exclusivity Doctrine, by Frank Ferreri

Why it made the list: Another reminder of what exclusive remedy rules cover.

Honorable Mention: AI 101: Large Language Models and the ABCs of Workers’ Comp, by Dr. Claire Muselman

Why it made the list: AI's great, but how do you use it for workers' compensation work?

October

Top Spot: New Study Shows California Heat Standard Reduced Work Injuries on Hot Days, by Liz Carey

Why it made the list: Heat safety has become more and more of a hot-button issue in workers' compensation.

Honorable Mention: Driving Innovation at the Nation’s Largest Lawyers’ Malpractice Insurer, by the Insurtech Geeks Podcast

Why it made the list: The Insurtech Geeks give us plenty of food for thought.

November

Top Spot: Building the Future of Workers’ Comp: DATA Mentors Find Meaning in Giving Back, by Frank Ferreri

Why it made the list: DATA does good, and we love them for it.

Honorable Mention: Shadow AI, Deepfakes & Payables: Controls That Lower Your Total Cost of Risk, by James Benham

Why it made the list: What do you need to look out for the keep costs down when it comes to AI-related risk?

December

Top Spot: The Illusion of Safety: Why Familiar Drugs Deserve Scrutiny, by Niki Moore

Why it made the list: Niki Moore got real and vulnerable with us for an important issue.

Honorable Mention: N.Y. Top Court Upholds Award for Retail Manager who Caught COVID, Had Stroke, by Frank Ferreri

Why it made the list: COVID might be done, but the legal fallout continues.

Thank you for being a part of everything we do here at WorkersCompensation.com and being the reason we get to live out our purpose. You guys are the best, and we can't thank you enough for making our 2025 another great year!

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