New Hampshire: Medical Marijuana May Be a Reimbursable Workers’ Compensation Expense
APPLIES TO All Employers with NH Employees |
EFFECTIVE March 7, 2019 |
QUESTIONS? Contact HR On-Call |
The New Hampshire Supreme Court recently stated that a workers’ compensation carrier could not deny an employee’s request for reimbursement of medical marijuana to treat a work-related injury. In the Appeal of Andrew Panaggio, an employee suffered a lower back injury that resulted in permanent impairment and ongoing pain. He was prescribed opioids to treat the pain, but due to negative side effects, he was later issued a cannabis registration card authorizing medical marijuana use. However, the workers’ compensation carrier denied payment of the medical marijuana, alleging that it was not “reasonable/necessary or causally related” to the work injury.