News Digest 4/3/2007

By: Rick Waldinger

Quote of the day

"I had a terrible time ever getting workers' comp. Before this kid got hurt, I was trying to get it for a year."

Florida tree services company owner Don Estlund, who faces charges of operating without workers' compensation insurance

Go to the full story in the Englewood (Fla.) Sun

Wisconsin Supremes: Worker Can Sue Claims Manager for Delay
The Wisconsin high court rules that an injured carpenter can sue a company that handles workers’ compensation claims for the state for allegedly tying his case up for years and delaying his payments. The decision reverses a 2006 appellate court ruling that the Worker’s Compensation Act barred the worker from filing a claim alleging bad faith in the comp process. By Todd Richmond, AP via Janesville Gazette
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Judge Rejects Librarian’s Raid-Related Mental Injury Claim
A Rhode Island workers’ compensation judge dismisses a former library director’s claim that a 2004, “raid” on the library in which he allegedly was threatened with arrest caused him ongoing mental injury. The director claimed that a local mayor called for the raid in order to punish the director for his support of the mayor’s political rival. By David Casey, Pawtucket Times
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Indicted Business Owner Says He Was Stymied Trying to Get Coverage
Officials from the Florida Department of Financial Services charge a Sarasota County tree services company owner with operating without workers’ compensation insurance, which he says he repeatedly tried but was unable to obtain. By Christy Arnold, Englewood Sun
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Keystone State City’s Safety Committee Aims to Cut Costs
Using free pamphlets, videos and other handouts from the state, a Nanticoke, Pa., committee is trying to teach workers to constantly think safety, in an effort to shave its annual workers’ compensation costs. By Sherry Long, Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre)
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Arkansas Business, Labor Announce Agreement
The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Arkansas AFL-CIO announce an agreement on worker’s compensation, presenting a bill to the state House of Representatives’ Joint Budget Committee. The bill would increase the amount businesses or their insurance carriers pay in weekly benefits for death or permanent total disability claims. Morning News (Springdale, Ark.) [Fourth Item] Go to the Full Story…

Former UConn MedTech Charged with Fraud
A former University of Connecticut medical technician faces workers’ compensation and insurance fraud charges for allegedly submitting forged documents and altered medical bills in connection with an insurance claim filed on behalf of her brother-in-law. By Robert D. Muirhead, Journal Inquirer (Manchester, Conn.)
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WorkCover Admits Return-to-Work Problems
Injured Australian workers would save the financially troubled federal scheme WorkCover $1 million if they went back to work just one day earlier, according to a recently-released government report. WorkCover admits the lack of a direct financial incentive to influence injured workers to return to work. By Craig Bildstein, Adelaide Advertiser
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Editorial: Alabama DIR Should Open Records on Self-Insured Groups
An Alabama attorney who represents traditional workers compensation insurance providers is right on the money in his lawsuit asking courts to force the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations to open its records concerning the financial stability of self-insured employer groups. Even if the DIR is not violating the state’s open records law by shielding them, secrecy is not in the public’s best interest. Montgomery Advertiser
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