The California Court of Appeals, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three, has issued a decisive ruling, confirming the Atlanta Falcons are exempt from California’s workers’ compensation law in a long-running cumulative injury claim filed by former NFL offensive lineman Wayne Gandy.

The ruling, which upheld a prior Workers’ Compensation Judge’s (WCJ) determination, centered on the interpretation of specific California Labor Code sections relating to professional athletes and out-of-state employers. The decision reverses an opinion by the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) that had asserted jurisdiction over the claim.

Wayne Gandy played 15 seasons in the NFL (1994–2009) for five different teams. His career began in California, where he signed his first contract with the Los Ange

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