Attorneys Personal Injury » Compensation System

Workers Comp Pays Like a Used Car Dealer.flv

Admin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 20:01:39 +0000

The workers compensation system in Canada also denies claims then gets bonuses for doing so. But they are supposed to be independent aren’t they? Each Province making their own policies and procedures? Not so. As I have said before, there are associations these workers comp insurance companies belong to that decide all policy and procedure and they are all the same. First there is the Atlantic Association, then the Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC), then the American Association of State Compensation Fund (AASCIF), then the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards & Commissions (IAIABC) comprising members of Canadian, US, New Zealand, and Australian Workers compensation boards. So for anyone to say they meet only once a year is a lie. To say each board is independent is a lie. In particular all Canadian Boards pay bonuses to their employees for keeping medical and wage loss costs down. They do this by cutting off the most deserving and seriously injured workers who have a high degree of disability, unable to return to their employment, will need lifetime care, and/or retraining, and/or pensions. It is very interesting that the Past President of the AASCIF is Ken Ross, who is also President and CEO of Pinnacol. Add in Vice President Nancy MacCready-Williams of AASCIF, who is also Chief Executive Officer Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia. What do we come up with? An International “gang” of liars, thieves, frauds, and …

Associated Sites

Sen. Anthony Hensley on KS Workers Comp Reform (part 2)

Admin — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 06:00:08 +0000

Senator Anthony Hensley addresses the annual KSNA Day at the Legislature on Feb. 11, 2010. Topic: SB 258. KSNA and Sen. Hensley support the reform of Kansas’ workers’ compensation system.

Associated Sites

IIR Interview – Jeff Wright on ageing workforce compensation

Admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 07:52:45 +0000

Jeff Wright, Employee Relations and Risk Manager with Baptist Community Services NSW/ACT, discusses workers compensation system in relation to ageing workforce. He will be speaking at the 9th Annual National Workers Compensation Summit 2008 in Gold Coast on the 26-29 February 2008. For more information about the conference, visit www.nationalworkerscomp.com.au.

Associated Sites

Sen. Anthony Hensley on KS Workers Comp Reform

Admin — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:27:47 +0000

Senator Anthony Hensley addresses the annual KSNA Day at the Legislature on Feb. 11, 2010. Topic: SB 258. KSNA and Sen. Hensley support the reform of Kansas’ workers’ compensation system.

Associated Sites

CA Insurance Shill Angry About Study Showing Gaming Of The Workers Comp System

Admin — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:13:08 +0000

California insurance company shill Theo Pahos complained about a report on the gaming of the CA workers comp system. At a meeting on December 10, 2009 in Oakland of the California Commission On Health and Safety and Workers Compensation CHSWC , Theo Pahos representing the Association of California Insurance Companies was angry by the Rand corporation study that the industry was “gaming” the workers compensation system. Injured worker Dina Padilla and Sandi Trend, mother of injured Agraquest biotech worker David Bell had testified previously about the systemic corruption and fraud by the insurance industry and self insured employers. For further information go to: www.youtube.com www.youtube.com workers-compensation.blogspot.com www.workersmemorialday.org

Associated Sites

CEO Corner: Workers’ Compensation

Admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:19:23 +0000

Because of our efforts to establish a fair and predictable workers compensation system, the South Carolina Chamber has been named in a law suit complaint by trial attorneys who brought an action in state and federal court. The complaint is not surprising. The Chambers mission is to make the worker compensation the no-fault system that it was originally intended to be, which would make it more predictable.

The State Of Workers Compensation In California

Admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:51:37 +0000

Hearing Representative Thurman Martin gives you a lowdown on the California Workers Compensation system – Part 1. Brought to you by Californians Injured At Work – www.ciaw.org. Visit us! Find out the REAL truth!

GOPod Video: State Department of Labor and Industries Proposes Workers Compensation Rate Increase

Admin — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 22:20:20 +0000

13th District Senator Janéa Holmquist, R-Moses Lake, responds to L&I’s announcement of a proposed worker’s compensation rate increase. At a time when our economy is trying to recover, the most irresponsible thing we could do is levy a job-killing, multimillion-dollar tax increase on our employers and their employees without first reforming the serious flaws in the workers compensation system.

Workers’ Compensation: 101

Admin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:42:25 +0000

A recent article in the Los Angeles Times was alarming to many California employers as it stated “California businesses recently learned that their workers’ compensation (WC) insurance premiums could swell this summer.” (To read the articles from Los Angeles Times, please click here.) The article explained that a state board charged with tracking WC expenses recommended a rate increase of 24% based on rising costs such as: higher medical expenses, the threat of increased payments to permanently disabled workers, and sharp increases to medical cost containment and medical legal costs. Many employers know they must pay for WC insurance but may not know how the premium is calculated and/or what they can do to keep their premiums as low as possible, which will be the focus of this article.

What exactly is workers compensation? Workers compensation is a state-mandated, “no-fault” insurance system that pays benefits to workers injured on the job to cover medical care, supplement lost wages, and to settle any permanent disability claims. In return, employers are generally entitled to immunity from civil lawsuits that employees might have as a result of their on-the-job injuries.

How are WC premiums calculated? Each occupation is generally assigned a risk classification, determined by two historical factors: the frequency of on-the-job injuries within a particular occupation and the average severity of injuries suffered. Severity is measured by the medical costs (to return a worker back to the workplace) and any payments made directly to the injured employee (in connection with benefits provided through the workers’ compensation system).

To arrive at a base rate for workers’ compensation insurance in California, each risk classification is translated into a dollar amount, which is then multiplied by 1% per $100 of the total payroll for that employee. For example, an office clerk’s compensation rate could be calculated at roughly $1.25 per every $100 that employee’s payroll may total. If the office clerk is paid $500 per week, the WC insurance premium for that employee costs an employer roughly $6.25 per week.

The base premium for your policy is then multiplied by your experience modification (ex mod) to get your actual premium. For example: If the total base premium for your entire policy is $5,000 per year and your ex mod is 1.2%, the total premium would be $5,000 multiplied by 1.2%, or $6,000.

How is the Experience Modification (ex mod) calculated? The WC ex mod is calculated based on three years of experience (annual payroll and losses), not including the most recent year. The ex mod for 2009 would be based upon loss experience, plus payroll records reflected from 2005 through 2007. The ex mod calculation is based on what has been paid and any money the insurance carrier has set aside or reserved to resolve open claims. Reserves reflect only an estimation of what a carrier believes will be paid and do not necessarily reflect the actual amount that will be paid once the claim is closed.

How can an employer reduce/limit WC premiums? There are many ways to help reduce the cost of WC premiums. Employers can reap the rewards of ensuring job classifications and payroll records are accurate; invest in aggressive safety programs that reward good and safe workplace practices; create opportunities for modified work programs to help return workers to productive; and closely monitor open claims and reserves.

Above all, do not allow your cost saving interests get ahead of good claims practices. Time and time again, the news will feature an employer who thought that by simply understating the number of employees they had and/or under reporting payroll, they could enjoy a discount in payroll. However, this practice is considered as insurance fraud and carries severe penalties for those who perpetrate this act. Below are some excerpts from the Los Angeles Times which highlight how this seemingly good idea can go very wrong.

The owner of a security firm and two vice presidents accused of defrauding the state of $9 million in an elaborate workers’ compensation scheme pleaded not guilty. The men allegedly created a shell company, International Armored Solutions Inc., to hide the true number of employees at the security firm to avoid paying higher WC insurance premiums. Authorities said state officials were told that the new company employed about 20 workers and it was not part of the main security firm. The company failed to pay $9.5 million in WC premiums for its 1,500 employees and the men were taken into custody Wednesday on suspicion of fraud, prosecutors said.

Michele O’Donnell, M.S. Human Resources Management. joined MMC, Inc. in January 2007 and currently leads MMC’s elite team of HR Consultants. Ms. O’Donnell has been involved in the Human Resources industry for more than 14 years, bringing vast training and management experience to the MMC leadership ranks. Her experience spans the broad scope of labor law, regulatory compliance and HR Best Practices, drawn from her rich experience as Director of HR for several firms throughout her career. She currently works to ensure that MMC’s consultants forge long lasting relationships with our clients, fostered in exceptional service and unsurpassed HR expertise. Ms. O’Donnell earned her baccalaureate degree in Business Administration from Auburn University before receiving her Masters degree in Human Resource Management from Troy State University. Learn more about MMC?s comprehensive HR services at http://www.mmchr.com

How to Find a Great Work Injury Attorney in Your State

Admin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:42:17 +0000

If you’ve suffered an injury at work, it’s extremely important to find a good work injury attorney, regardless of who you think was at fault for the accident. A good work injury attorney will help you sort out who is responsible for any damages you’ve suffered and will let you know whether pursuing a case is a good idea. The attorney should be open and friendly. The work injury attorney should fully understand your injury and grievances, and he or she should take the time to explain to you the recommended course of action. In addition, a good work injury attorney will make it clear what kind of settlements or payments you can expect from your work injury.

Typically, an attorney who deals with many cases in the worker’s compensation realm will be the type of work injury attorney best equipped to help you with your claim. Before visiting, ask the work injury attorney about his or her experience in the field. Is it extensive? If it is, and if they have settled many successful cases, then you know you’ve got a work injury attorney who knows the all the nuances and traits of worker’s compensation system. Has the work injury attorney ever handled a case similar to yours? And if so, what was the outcome? If it was a successful case, then you can be confident that you’re working with a competent work injury attorney. A good work injury attorney will ask many questions so as to fully understand the situation. Beware the work injury attorney who appears disinterested or doesn’t seem to request a lot of information.

Worker’s compensation cases can become very complex. So it’s usually a good idea to seek out a work injury attorney as soon as possible. Getting a good work injury attorney at the beginning of your case will let the attorney give important input regarding your medical treatments. Also, the work injury attorney will be able to gather valuable evidence for your case. When you spend time dealing with insurance companies before consulting a personal work injury attorney, you may find that your claim is challenged. That means the insurance company may already be gathering evidence and building a case against you. And while it’s never too late to contact a work injury attorney, waiting until an insurance company challenges you means you and your work injury attorney have to make up some lost ground, so it’s always a good idea to contact a work injury attorney as soon as possible.

It’s also a good idea to keep copies of everything involving your injury for your work injury attorney. That means all hospital bills and the details of your payment benefits. Contact your personal injury attorney immediately with any new information or if something regarding your injury changes. And always follow your doctor’s advice. Engaging in activities not recommended by your doctor could damage your case.

The best first step to finding a good work injury lawyer is to simply open up the yellow pages or search the Internet for a work injury attorney in your area. But please, shop around. Contact several work injury attorneys so you can get a feel for their personalities and a sense of their professionalism. Feel free to call the work injury attorney’s office or send an email. A good work injury attorney will be open and willing to answer most basic questions over the phone. Also, a good work injury attorney won’t just have the proper credentials to handle your case, but he or she will make you feel comfortable at all steps of the worker’s compensation claim process.

An injury at work can be a life-changing event. But it doesn’t have to be a change for the worse. When you find a good work injury lawyer who has your best interests at heart, you will get the compensation you deserve and the peace of mind you require.

Peter Drummond is a work injury lawyer and social security disability attorney licensed to practice in Illinois and Missouri, and owns a law firm called Drummond Law with offices throughout Illinois and Missouri.