Quote of the day
“One of the concerns that is often expressed is that when workers’ compensation prices are set too low, workers would experience problems getting timely access to medical care. This, in turn, would lead to poor recovery and problems with achieving timely return to work. However, prior evidence about the relationship between workers’ compensation prices and outcomes was limited until this study.”
John Ruser, president and CEO of WCRI
WCRI releases study on effects of pricing
The Workers Compensation Research Institute last week released a study addressing a longstanding policy debate about the role of workers’ compensation prices with respect to outcomes of injured workers when prices increase or decrease. According to the study, little relationship between prices and many of the policy relevant outcomes suggests factors other than medical prices are important in shaping differences in outcomes observed across states. Citizen Tribune (Morristown, Tenn.)
Michigan State’s insurer has not paid out for accident that maimed researcher four years ago
It has been more than four years since Elisabeth Ostendorf, who came from Germany in 2012 to work at Michigan State University as a biofuels researcher, was hit and almost killed by a university-owned truck on campus. She and her husband sued the university and were awarded $7.5 million, but have received nothing to date. The latest court decision unanimously decided the case could not be eligible for workers’ compensation because of her German nationality and that the crash happened while she was on a personal errand. Lansing State Journal
Ohio BWC says seven convicted of fraud last month
The Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation says seven people in Ohio were convicted of fraud in April, two of them from Mahoning County. Overall they were ordered to pay back more than $100,000 in restitution. WFMJ (Youngstown, Ohio)
Two flight attendants file class action claiming uniforms cause health problems
Two Delta Air Lines flight attendants have filed a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging that wearing their uniforms causes skin rashes, headaches, fatigue and other issues. The airline’s CEO has said the company invested roughly $20 million in the new uniforms for 64,000 workers. Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Workers’ comp railroad case transferred to Kansas court
A federal court in Missouri has ruled it does not have personal jurisdiction in a lawsuit against Amsted Rail Co. in which an employee alleges wrongful termination related to the filing of a workers’ compensation claim. The ruling pointed out the company is not incorporated nor does it have a principal place of business in the state of Missouri, and transferred it to a Kansas court. St. Louis Record