Oklahoma Supreme Court Nullifies Part of Workers’ Comp Law

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has struck down part of a new worker’s compensation law that prevents chiropractors and certain other medical professionals from serving as independent medical examiners in workers compensation cases.

The state’s highest court invalidated the provision in a 6-3 decision handed down on Tuesday.

The law went into effect Aug. 26. It prohibited all but licensed medical doctors or licensed doctors of osteopathy from serving as independent medical examiners for the state’s Workers Compensation Court.

The law was challenged by two chiropractors and the Oklahoma State Chiropractic Independent Physicians Association. They maintained that chiropractors have served as independent medical examiners for the court in the past and were improperly excluded by the new law.

The Supreme Court agreed, ruling that portion of the law is unconstitutional.