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Widow’s benefits halved after late husband tests positive for marijuana in Loveland ski area death

DENVER — The state of Colorado is denying half the workers’ compensation death benefits to a woman whose husband died while working on a Loveland ski lift because he had marijuana in his system.

KMGH-TV reports Erika Lee’s husband, Adam Lee, was crushed to death underneath a magic carpet in December.

Lee said she’s frustrated the system is saying “because he smoked a legal substance, we are going to take away your benefits from you and your kids.”

Colorado law allows state workers’ compensation companies to cut benefits by 50 percent if tests return positive for marijuana or any other controlled substance.

Lee plans to appeal the decision by Pinnacol, a quasi-state workers’ compensation agency, to cut her benefits. A hearing is scheduled before an administrative law judge in the coming months.


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