Two states are taking steps to address shortages of qualified mental health professionals in workers comp by authorizing licensed clinical social workers to treat injured workers. California enacted a law in 2022 clearing the red tape for social workers to treat in the workers compensation system, and New York, after passing a law in 2020 …
Social workers could bridge mental health gap in comp care Read More »
Nearly a dozen states as of late January had introduced legislation to expand or enhance workers compensation benefits for employees who suffer mental injuries by presuming they are suffered in the course of work. “The trend will continue,” said Brian Allen, Salt Lake City-based vice president of government affairs, pharmacy solutions, for Mitchell International Inc., a …
The cost of litigating workers compensation claims remains a concern in the industry, but there have been few court rulings overhauling costs and limited legislative efforts on the issue of attorneys fees. One recent case in New Jersey, however, has attracted attention. In December, a New Jersey appellate court reversed an attorneys fee award in …
Approach to attorneys fees varies widely in comp Read More »
Injuries to body parts that are caused by repetitive motion, frequent exposure to sounds, chemicals or even vibrations are among the most perplexing in the workers compensation sector. Claims arising from cumulative trauma injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis and hearing loss, will likely rise given the aging workforce and an overall trend toward …
Some cumulative trauma claims are preventable, according to loss control experts, who say workplace safety, automation and sound ergonomics are among the best risk management practices to keep workers on the job without pain or overuse injuries. Such technologies and best practices are not new, have helped lower claim frequency overall in workers compensation and …
When a cumulative trauma claim is filed with an employer the approach should be much the same as with all claims, experts say: If the claim is accepted, worker advocacy is often the best medicine. “Injured worker advocacy and support early in the cycle of the claim is critical,” said Jennifer Cogbill, Frisco, Texas-based senior …
Collaboration with workers, early claims support critical to recovery Read More »
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a Missouri heating, ventilation and air conditioning company for three serious and two repeat violations after an apprentice technician was electrocuted at a job site last summer. OSHA proposed $197,642 in penalties against Kansas City-based U.S. Engineering Service, a subsidiary of U.S. Engineering Company Holdings, following the …
A legislative proposal in Utah would amend the existing workers compensation law to create a rebuttable presumption for cancer diagnoses in firefighters and would require the state Division of Industrial Accidents to conduct a study regarding cancers typically associated with firefighting. The measure, Senate Bill 159, which was introduced Monday, modifies the circumstances under which …
Utah bill proposes firefighter comp cancer presumption Read More »
A Connecticut demolition contractor is facing proposed fines of $375,021 after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration alleges the July 22, 2022, death of a worker during a trench cave-in arose from apparent workplace safety failures. Manchester, Connecticut-based Botticello Inc. exposed the deceased worker to deadly hazards as he worked to connect drainage piping at …
Connecticut contractor cited in fatal trench collapse Read More »
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission would be required to establish a new medical fee schedule and implement a closed drug formulary, under legislation introduced Monday. H.B. 1548 would render all current medical fee schedules inoperative after Aug. 31, 2024, and establish new reimbursement rates based on Medicare percentages. The bill would also require annual updates …
Illinois lawmakers to consider fee schedule changes, formulary Read More »