Quote of the day
"You wear that as a badge of courage until you get to be in your 60s. Then you wear it as a badge of dumb. I was able to destroy most all of my joints because of my tolerance for pain. I never even grimaced. I took the shots and kept playing."
Bill Curry, 64, former All-Pro NFL center, about playing through pain and the after-effects of his injuries now that he is retired
For O-Linemen, Toughest Struggle Begins at Retirement
After they end their generally short careers, many National Football League offensive linemen spend the rest of their lives beset by debilitating pain and hobbled by permanent physical disabilities. And yet, even knowing the consequences, many say they would do it all over again. By Greg Bishop, Seattle Times [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…
Wild West Shooting Triggers Lawsuit
New Jersey’s Wild West City theme park faces an “astronomical” civil lawsuit after Fed-OSHA fines it in connection with a shooting from which a 37-year-old performer is recovering. A re-enactor was shot in the head during a staged gunfight in July and now receives speech and mobility therapy. By Steve Novak, New Jersey Herald (Newton, N.J.)
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Delivery Businesses Take Proactive Steps to Head Off Comp Costs
Businesses that employ workers in physically-demanding jobs like package delivery can be on the hook for millions of dollars in medical and workers’ compensation costs. Some respond by requiring applicants to pass a physical test; others like UPS, which reported an $80 million savings in workers’ compensation in the third quarter compared to last year, encourage employees to participate in fitness programs. By Vicki Lee Parker, News & Observer (Raleigh – Durham, N.C.) [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…
Report: Ohio BWC Failed to Fully Probe Fraud, Mismanagement
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation fails to aggressively investigate allegations of kickbacks and other schemes by managed care providers, according to the first installment of the Toledo Blade’s three-part report on the troubled agency. In part two, injured workers who fight for benefits react to the agency’s costly investment scandal and the “game playing” some believe occurs after it approves a claim. By Steve Eder and James Drew, Toledo Blade [With Photos] Go to the Full Story…
Ohio MCO Founder Talks Shop
Dr. Jose Luis Chavez, president and CEO of a Cincinnati-area managed-care provider, contends that the involvement by MCOs in the workers’ compensation system has reduced workers’ lost time due to injuries and that the Ohio BWC is “aggressive” in investigating employee and provider fraud. Cincinnati Enquirer [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…
Gov.-Elect Spitzer Discusses Plans with Upstate Businesses
“This is like Nixon going to China,” says Andrew Rudnick, president of the Buffalo Partnership, a business group, about New York Gov.-elect Eliot Spitzer’s recent trip to the Upstate region to talk with business leaders about improving the area economy. Part of Spitzer’s plan includes reforming workers’ compensation. By Jay Gallagher, Elmira Star-Gazette
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Commentary: Injured Ontario Workers Want Same Treatment
An Ontario advocate asks how government ministers can award themselves a 25-percent salary increase, while labor ministry officials contend the province cannot afford cost-of-living benefit increases for injured workers who are afflicted by annual inflation. By Steve Mantis via Toronto Star
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Aussie Union Sounds Alarm on Employers Moving to Federal System
The ACTU contends encouraging employers to self-insure for workers compensation under the federal Comcare system could substantially cut payouts for injured workers and undermine workplace safety standards. IBN News (Australia) [With Photo] Go to the Full Story…