Price v. Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, United States Department of Labor

**What Happened** Two oil rig workers employed by Longnecker Properties filed for disability benefits after claiming they were injured in a workplace accident. They sought compensation under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, which provides benefits to maritime workers who get hurt on the job. However, they had to prove that their injuries were actually caused by the workplace accident, not by other factors. **What the Court Decided** The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the workers and upheld the denial of their disability benefits. The court agreed with an administrative law judge's earlier decision that the workers failed to provide enough evidence to prove their injuries were caused by the workplace accident. Without this basic proof, they couldn't move forward with their claims for compensation. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case highlights how important it is for injured workers to document their injuries and gather strong evidence linking them to workplace incidents. Workers need medical records, witness statements, and other proof showing their injuries came from work-related accidents. Simply claiming an injury happened at work isn't enough—workers must be able to demonstrate a clear connection between the workplace incident and their specific injuries to receive benefits.