News

Several changes made in 2021 to the American Medical Association’s guide on disability ratings, which affect workers compensation claims, will have an “uncertain” effect on the diagnosis and disability determination for mental injury claims, according to an analysis released Monday by the National Council on Compensation Insurance. The Boca Raton, Florida-based ratings agency examined the AMA Guides, 6th Edition 2021,…

Employers who have yet to see a psych claim in their workers compensation programs are on notice, as experts say mental-only claims and physical injury claims with alleged mental components are on the rise — and many of them warrant defense. A trending topic in workers compensation, at least two sessions a day at the four-day Workers’ Compensation & Risk…

Societal factors such as poverty, housing insecurity and lack of education can significantly affect the outcome of a workers compensation claim, as such factors — known as the “social determinants of health” — are often barriers to recovery. As much as 80% of the outcome of an individual’s health is connected to factors connected to an unhealthy environment, and a…

A Roselle, Illinois contractor with a long history of federal workplace safety violations who currently owes more than $390,000 in penalties, added an additional $303,105 in proposed fines for once again exposing workers to potential deadly fall hazards at a North Barrington job site. Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration observed the safety violations…

The number of injured workers using topical medications rose 4.7% in 2021, according to a report released Tuesday by Enlyte Group LLC subsidiary Mitchell International Inc. The latest report follows one in July that showed the number of injured workers using opioids has continued to decline, from 33.3% of all injured workers in 2020 to 30.3% in 2021. The new…

Falls from heights are the No. 1 cause of death for workers, but the hazard remains the most-cited workplace safety violation year after year despite being relatively easy to prevent. Federal regulators and workplace safety advocates say preventing falls is a priority, as several organizations have recently announced efforts aimed at demystifying the root causes. Meanwhile, citations — in many…