Ranch hand with alpha‑gal syndrome wins key workers’ comp ruling

An Arkansas ranch worker developed alpha‑gal syndrome — a severe allergy to red meat — after repeated tick bites on the job. Now, a state appeals court says he should be allowed to pursue workers’ compensation for the illness.

The Court of Appeals of Arkansas overturned a decision by the state Workers’ Compensation Commission, ruling that ranch hand Jonathan Mohler presented enough evidence to show that his condition was tied to his work on a 1,000‑acre cattle ranch.

Mohler lived on the property and spent his days tending livestock, repairing fences, baling hay, and working outdoors in areas where ticks were common.

He became sick in late 2022 and was later diagnosed with alpha‑gal syndrome, a tick‑borne condition that can trigger severe allergic reactions to mammalian meat along with neurological and digestive symptoms.

An administrative law judge initially ruled in his favor, but the commission later reversed that decision, saying he hadn’t proven the illness was caused by his job.

The appeals court disagreed, noting that Mohler’s daily duties put him at a much higher risk of tick exposure than the general public and that the case record offered no other explanation for his diagnosis.

SOURCE: InsuranceBusinessMag.com