Appeal of Richard Adam

**What Happened** Richard Adam had a workers' compensation dispute in New Hampshire involving medical expenses. He sought reimbursement for two types of medical treatments: kidney function testing and lumbar spine treatment. A workers' compensation board initially denied both claims, leading Adam to appeal to the state's highest court. **What the Court Decided** The New Hampshire Supreme Court partially sided with Adam. The court ruled that the workers' compensation board made a mistake when it denied coverage for his kidney function testing expenses. However, the court agreed with the board's decision to deny reimbursement for his lumbar spine treatment. The court sent the case back to the board to calculate exactly how much Adam should be paid for the kidney testing costs. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that workers can successfully challenge workers' compensation decisions, even if they don't win everything they ask for. When a workers' compensation board denies medical expenses, workers have the right to appeal those decisions to higher courts. The ruling demonstrates that courts will carefully review each medical claim separately and overturn incorrect denials when the evidence supports coverage.