Pressroom - Work comp news
SeekingNewsworthy stories and blog links affecting work comp regionally and nationally
State of Indiana
Dec 14 - IN: Physician Report Update (PDF)
Dec 12 - IN: Requirements for PPI Filings (PDF)
Dec 12 - IN: Workers comp claims climb for county employees
Dec 9 - IN: Changes to First Report of Injury Filing Requirements (PDF)
Nov 25 - IN: Honda Lands National Safety Award
Oct 2 - PROPOSED January 1, 2012 Advisory Rate Filing for Indiana (PDF)
On October 1, 2011 the ICRB submitted the proposed filing to the Indiana Department of Insurance. The filing proposes an increase:
• of 2.3 % to the loss costs;
• of 2.6% in overall premium level, and;
• of 2.6% in overall rate level.
July 7 - IN: State Settles With Notre Dame Death
The Indiana Department of Labor has reached a settlement with the University of Notre Dame in the death of a student employee, who was recording a football practice. The state has reduced the school's total fines to $42,000.
May 4 - IN: NFIB and EMPLOYERS® Expand Workers’ Compensation Program into state
RENO, Nev.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) today announced it has extended discounted workers’ compensation coverage benefits to its members in Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia and Missouri through EMPLOYERS®, America’s small business insurance specialist®.
In a decision that workers' compensation experts say is good for Texas employees and employers alike, the Supreme Court of Texas issued a unanimous opinion on January 27, 2012, that bars negligence claims against policyholders.
Jan 27 - MN: High Court Upholds Flawed Workers' Compensation Presumption
This summer, the Minnesota Supreme Court reversed a Court of Appeals decision to deny Ford Motor Company the right to discontinue workers' compensation benefits to George E. Frandsen once he turned 67 last year.
Jan 26 - OH: DJ Has to Face the Music for Workers’ Comp Fraud
Being the life of the party can have its drawbacks. Just ask a DJ from Austintown, Ohio, who was caught on tape entertaining party goers and bar patrons when he claimed he was so injured from a work-related incident that he could not work.
Jan 25 - FL: WORKERS’ COMPENSATION COSTS PER CLAIM GROWING FOLLOWING DECLINES GENERATED BY 2003 REFORMS
Workers’ compensation costs per claim in Florida, which dropped in the year following system reforms in 2003, showed signs of growth from 2005 to 2009, according to a new study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).
Jan 24 - NH: Senate deadlocks over workers' comp change
A deadlocked New Hampshire Senate did not approve a bill Tuesday that would eliminate a workers' compensation fund for the disabled, despite the recommendation of its commerce committee to do so.
Jan 23 - IL: Chicago Woman Fired for Doing Work at Lunch Wins Unemployment Claim
Sharon Smiley had worked for 10 years as a receptionist and administrative assistant at a Chicago real estate company until she was fired for skipping lunch one day. After a two-year battle, an appeals court in Illinois has found that denial of her unemployment benefits was "clearly erroneous."
National
Jan 26 - Federal workers' comp program remains vulnerable to fraud
The federal workers' compensation program remains vulnerable to fraud, mostly due to limited access to data, according to the Government Accountability Office.
Jan 23 - S&P Warns of Downgrades for Workers Comp Insurers
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services warns that signs are pointing to more unprofitable years for theU.S.workers’ compensation insurance market and downgrades could be in the future if there is no improvement.
International
Blogs/Topics
Jan 11 - Canada: The injuries we don’t see
Dec 12 - Overdosing on Drugs: Compensable in Tennessee, Denied in Ohio
