Alabama Judge Rules Illegal Immigrant Due Workers Comp for Life

AP ^

[BikerNYC]

If an employer wants to gain the economic benefits when hiring illegals, it must accept the economic downsides, too. This is one of them.

[goodnesswins]

Interesting......one way to deter immigration is for the employers who hire ILLEGAL immigrants to have to PAY things like this.....THIS kid was ONLY 17????

[newfrpr04]

I bet his insurance company isn't too happy. Maybe after he starts paying high premium for the so called cheap labor they will quit hiring illegals. California just had case ruling where they are entitled to work comp benefits.

[texgal]

I guess my question to all of this is, Is the illegal alien still living in this country ILLEGALLY?

[DustyMoment]

Maybe I missed something, but the article didn't say he was permamnently disabled, it said he was seriously injured. Since when does a "serious injury" qualify one for worker's compensation for life; ESPECIALLY a 17 year-old illegal?

[Mamzelle]

I'd be interested to know a few more facts--if this illegal had been a legal employee--would he have been covered by WComp insurance? Would the construction company be covered with legal insured employees?

In other words, does an employer risk wider liability hiring an illegal over a legal?

[thoughtomator]

At $240 a week it shouldn't take him long at all to buy a ticket back to Mexico.

[New Perspective]

I guess my question to all of this is, Is the illegal alien still living in this country ILLEGALLY?

I bet he is. I say ship him back to Mexico and see if he can get across the Rio Grande in his wheelchair.

[cripplecreek]

Kinda hard to feel much sympathy for anybody in this story. (aside from us taxpayers who will ultimately pay for it)

[cynicom]

Excellent.

[moehoward]

More background...........
http://www.postherald.com/me081605.shtml

This sickening mess is what we deserve for letting this invasion continue. And it is we that have to stop it.

[Semper Paratus]

I can see a lot of chiropractors and lawyers learning Spanish now.

[BenLurkin]

No way!

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Maybe I missed something, but the article didn't say he was permamnently disabled, it said he was seriously injured.

From the article:

...for the teen, who was partially paralyzed while working on a home...

[Quilla]

I'd like to know the name of this judge. Interesting how it was omitted from the article, as well as the name of the fancy subdivision and the builder hiring illegals. The Alabama Home Builders' workman's comp program is a self-insured fund of which I'm a member. I guarantee they'll appeal.

[Mamzelle]

re: The Alabama Home Builders' workman's comp program is a self-insured fund of which I'm a member. )))

There are so many interesting and relevant facts missing from this story...was the illegal covered by WC? Did the employer cover him, or skirt the law? Was the builder enjoying the competitive advantage of not insuring an employee he knew was illegal? (There are all kinds of advantages in breaking the law--people rob banks because that's where the money is.)

This is an important decision, as many illegals work construction.

[TX Bluebonnet]

I wonder if the construction company was reporting the payroll of the illegal workers? (Premium is based on payroll for WC. Misrepresenting payroll is fraud.) I assume they are paid in cash???

[Mamzelle]

See, you are asking the right questions.

[isrul]

Illegal is such a harsh word. Just a poor undocumented migrant. We must be inclusive, after all. diversity is our greatest strength./sarc