WorkCompNews

NA - Slip and fall hazards; CA - Medical on the rise; NA - Highest cost states identified; NA Return to work touted. Wet Leaves and Slip Hazards - WorkersCompensation.com "Walking depends on friction. Each step requires enough friction between the shoe and walking surface to support the forces created" Report: Medical Service Costs in California Comp Rising With Payments, Utilization "Medical service costs in California workers’ compensation rose 5% last year on the back of growth in both average payments and utilization" States with the highest workers' comp costs Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, California, and more. Return-To-Work Programs Cut Claim Costs By More Than Half In Parcel Delivery Analysis "Accommodated workers' comp claims closed at roughly 60% lower total cost"

NA - Wellness programs questioned; NA - Layoffs keep pressure on Comp; NA - Seasonal Change impacts injury and risk; CA- Loss Costs keep rising Employers ramp up scrutiny of benefits ROI: Report - Insurance Business "Cost-conscious employers scrutinize whether financial wellness programs are reaching workers" Low layoffs keep pressure on workers' comp and benefits costs | Insurance Business "The claims data add to evidence that employers are still holding on to workers." Why Autumn Changes Workplace Risk - WorkersCompensation.com " Temperatures fluctuate, daylight decreases, moisture changes walking surfaces, morning fog reduces visibility, leaves accumulate, wildlife activity shifts, and respiratory illnesses increase as people spend more time indoors." CWCI Report: CA Workers' Comp Loss Costs Keep Rising Despite Pandemic Disruption "COVID-19 temporarily disrupted California workers’ comp loss trends but did not stop the steady growth in medi...

NA - National economy unemployment holds; NA - NCCI reports on trends; NA - AI in managing and evaluating care; NA - Transportation workers may have options. Low layoffs keep pressure on workers' comp and benefits costs | Insurance Business "sustained employment helps preserve the payroll base against which much of the industry’s premium is calculated. That matters as pricing continues to move in employers’ favor." NCCI Releases 2026 Legislative and Regulatory Trends Report "This year, we saw a shift in the bill mix, with a noticeable increase in worker classification-related bills, primarily driven by numerous portable benefits for independent-contractor legislation across states." SecondLook Deploys Clinical AI for Workers' Comp | Insurance Innovation Reporter "First production client uses the platform to evaluate physical therapy progress and direct clinical reviewers toward higher-risk cases." Bridgeville Dump Truck Collision Highlights Potenti...

NA - Workplace violence in fast food; NA - Preventing workplace violence; CA - Comp losses continue post-pandemic; NA - Weather and workers' compensation.  Workplace Violence is a Big Issue in QSR. Here's How to Start Countering It "Violence against restaurant workers, particularly in quick and fast serve establishments, is rampant." What's the Key to Preventing Workplace Violence? Culture, Communication "Employers can craft policies and training programs, but without buy-in from the teams subject to those efforts, not much will happen." California Workers' Comp Loss Costs Keep Rising Despite Pandemic Disruption, CWCI Report Finds "COVID-19 temporarily disrupted California workers’ comp loss trends but did not stop the steady growth in medical and indemnity claim costs." From heatwaves to hurricanes — Workers' compensation in an era of extreme weather "According to the Environmental Protection Agency , the United States is expected...

VA - Concealment of identity revents SOL; NA - Mediation offers opportunity; FE - Former postal worker convicted of wire fraud; NA - AI changing the how not the who. What If Employer's Hidden Identity Causes Workers' Comp Claim to Be Filed Late? "A late-filed workers’ compensation claim can be considered valid where the lateness is due to the identity of the claimant’s employer being concealed from her." Why Seek Mediation? WCI Panel Breaks Down Strategies, Misconceptions on Claims ... "mediation presents an opportunity, not just a means to an end." Former Postal Worker Convicted of $1 Million in Federal Workers' Comp Fraud "wire fraud in connection with her repeated submission of false workers' compensation forms" AI is changing workers' comp and small commercial—but how will insurers build judgment? "some of the most important changes brought by artificial intelligence may not be about replacing people at all."

NY - Premium fraud alleged; NA - Commercial insurance rates continue to increase; FE - FECA inclusion causes exclusive remedy; CA - Richardson becomes DWC Administrative Director. New York Contractor Charged with $160K Workers' Comp Insurance Fraud Alleged "underpayment of insurance premiums by more than $160,000." WTW, Ivans Reports Signal More Commercial Rate Moderation - Insurance Journal “While there are still areas of the market experiencing upward pricing pressure, the pace of change has slowed considerably. " Navy Engineer's Sexual Assault Lawsuit Dismissed After Workers' Comp Ruling "the Department of Labor determined that her injuries fell within the federal workers’ compensation system People Moves: Richardson Named California DWC Administrative Director "swore in Nicole Richardson as administrative director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation on Sept. 1,"

CA - rates increasing; NY - insufficient proof on prior alleged claims: NY - Employer Fraud alleged; CA - Tough renewals are driving alternatives. California Restaurants Just Took a Double Insurance Hit -- and Most Owners Only See Half of ... "Workers' compensation rates rose September 1 for the second straight year, while commercial property insurance increases quietly flow into restaurant leases" Carrier's Fraud Allegations against Bricklayer Show Signs of Mistaken Identity "the Board found insufficient proof that the bricklayer violated Workers' Compensation Law" Patchogue Employer Charged with Workers' Comp Insurance Fraud - Suffolk-County "Accused of Concealing Workforce Size and Safety Risks to Secure Lower Insurance Rates" The traditional casualty program is getting harder to defend - Insurance Business "Commercial insurance clients facing stubborn casualty increases are being encouraged to test captives, higher deductibles and ...

OR - Increase in pure premium; NA - AI and the future of work; CA - Questions raised about spending funds; FL - new rules on dispensing. Oregon proposes 92 cent workers' comp premium for 2027 - KTVZ "Despite the proposed increase, the pure premium rate per $100 of payroll will have declined 36.5% between 2018 and 2027." 3 Questions with CorVel's Jason Wheeler on AI, Future of Claims Work "AI is a fact of life, and the question has long moved from the 'if' of implementation to the 'when.'" CAAA: DIR Under Fire for Misuse of Workers' Comp Funds - WorkCompCentral "facing serious questions over its use of money dedicated to the workers' compensation system to pay for internal employee investigations, consultants, and other expenses." Florida Posts New Workers’ Comp Rules on Physician Dispensing, Immigration Forms "The Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation has posted finalized rule changes in keeping with a recent court ...

CA - Occupational disease claims are difficult to prove; NA - Communication drives better outcomes; NA - Fee schedules are sometimes not complete or contemporary; NA - health comparisons for construction workers. Countertop workers with silicosis struggle to get benefits meant to help them - NPR "in general, it's often harder for workers to get benefits if they slowly develop an illness than if they sustain an injury, like falling off a ladder." The Litigation Myth: Why Attorneys Aren't the Real Cost Driver - Risk & Insurance "interventions that improve communication and perceived fairness may reduce litigation and unnecessary claim costs" What's Up When There's No Fee Schedule? WCRI Webinar Looks into Trends in Non-Price ... "a main driver for fee schedule gaps occurs when there is no Medicare coverage of the device or service and where fee schedules haven't been updated" Older Construction Workers Show Mixed Chronic Disease Pictur...

NH - Evidence in Second Injury claims; NA - AI in the world of claims; FL - Fraud charges allege $100 million scheme; TN - WC does not foreclose sexual harrassment claims. Handwritten Notes Failed to Preserve Insurer's Second Injury Fund Claim, N.H. Supreme Court Holds "The notations were insufficient to constitute notice of a potential claim against the Special Fund for Second Injuries." Workers' Comp in an AI Era: Report - Insurance Journal "Insurers are investing heavily in AI, analytics, automation, digital engagement, and specialized insurtech solutions" Seven Charged in $100 Million Workers' Comp Fraud in Florida - Insurance Journal "A $100 million workers’ compensation payroll scheme that paid workers in cash and defrauded insurers of premiums." Could Worker Allegedly Hit on by Manager Sue Employer for Negligence? "The exclusive remedy provision applies only when an employee’s injury falls within the scope of the workers’ compensati...

NA - Home builders and fatality rates; KY - Supreme Court affirms Board on pro rata reimbursement; NA - Cybersecurity is same song, next verse; KY - Fee schedule is public record. Jobsite Safety is Falling Behind at Smaller Home Builders, But Can Improve | NAHB "small residential construction firms account for a disproportionate number of annual construction fatalities" Ky. Supreme Court Rejects Fee-First Rule in Employer Subrogation Case "the store was entitled to immediate reimbursement for the benefits it paid to the worker ... but only after reducing the settlement proceeds ...by the amount of the store's pro rata share of the worker's legal fees and expenses" More Vulnerabilities, Same Old Door: What Q2's Cyber Data Means for Risk Managers "New security flaws surged 36% this spring, but the way criminals actually break in — stolen passwords on remote-access systems — barely budged" Franklin Circuit Court: Kentucky's Workers' Comp F...

NY - County move to lump sum settlements decreases liability; NA - Small business struggling with rate calculations; FL - What is covered after storms; AI Arms race in claims. SLC continues to tackle Worker's Comp debt, reduced more than $20 million in 10 years "offering one-time lump sum payouts has reduced the debt dramatically. offering one-time lump sum payouts has reduced the debt dramatically. " Small business premiums rise while big accounts get relief "Large commercial accounts saw premiums fall an average of 2.7% in the first half of 2026, and mid-sized accounts dropped 1.9%, according to broker survey data. Small business accounts moved the opposite direction, rising roughly 1.1%" What Insurance Really Covers After Storm Damage on Job Sites in Florida "The truth is, understanding what insurance really covers after storm damage on job sites in Florida means reading past the coverage summary page and getting into the specific language of exclusion...

OH - Extraordinary dividends in COVID drive totals; KY - Supreme Court agrees with Board and overturns appellate court; NA - Mentorship and an enormous gap; NA - Industry expectations are unrealistic and damaging. Ohio workers' comp dividends: About $7.5B came in 2020 - Cleveland.com "Ohio distributed about $7.5 billion to employers as the state used workers’ compensation dividends to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic." Ky. Supreme Court Rejects Fee-First Rule in Employer Subrogation Case "The Kentucky Supreme Court agreed with the ALJ and Board that the store was entitled to immediate reimbursement for the benefits it paid to the worker that were duplicated by the settlement" Why Organic Mentorship Is Insurance's Best Retention Tool - Insurance Journal "hiring new talent and developing existing talent is vital. And despite efforts by many organizations to keep emerging professionals engaged, the industry is far from filling the enormous gap...

PA - Final report on fatal explosion; OT- Proposed legislation to increase compensation; VT - Hospital workers demands; NA - Property and Casualty lines discussed by CEO Final Report Issued By U.S. Chemical Safety Board On U.S. Steel Explosion That Killed Workers "incident was the result of an ad hoc informal procedure, poor facility siting and an ineffective process safety management system" Injured workers prepare for fall advocacy amid worker's comp bill and insurance cuts "The bill includes an increase to the compensation injured workers receive and an expansion of benefits coverage to include workers in residential care facilities" Vermont Hospital Workers Demand a Raise… For Local Farmworkers - Labor Notes "Health care workers are stretched thinner than ever. Across the country, 52 hospitals and health systems have announced staffing cuts since January." New AIG CEO Andersen Talks Marketplace 'Pass-Throughs,' Opportunity “transition from...

TN - Miss the hearing, miss your chance;  NA - 50 state indemnity comparison; Group disability own occ any occ distinction; NA - Broker alleges contract violations and more.  Worker offers no proof linking pain to fall, loses comp appeal - HRD America "With no rebuttal on the table, the trial court ruled the employer had negated causation - the element requiring the job to contribute more than 50% to the injury - and dismissed the petition" 50-State Workers' Compensation Benefit Calculations " the calculation varies substantially by jurisdiction. Some states calculate benefits using spendable or after-tax wages, some use an average monthly wage, and several have special formulas" Unum prevails over worker's challenge to benefits cutoff - Insurance Business "For the first 24 months, 'disabled' meant being 'limited from performing the material and substantial duties of your regular occupation.' After that, the standard tightened: the work...

UT - Failure to pursue equals waiver; OH - Defining intent in tort exception; TN - Emotional injury from routine meeting Darden waives workers' comp defense it pleaded but never argued - HRD America "Darden Restaurant gave up a late-notice defense it had raised on paper but never pursued at the hearing." Did Tweak to Safety Guard Leading to Finger Amputation Point to Tort Action? "Deliberate removal by an employer of an equipment safety guard creates a rebuttable presumption that the removal was committed with intent to injure if an injury occurs as a direct result." Board denies Allstate claims representative comp benefits over routine meeting "A Tennessee board affirmed the denial of workers' comp benefits to a claims representative who tied a mental breakdown to one routine meeting."

CA - Lyft on classification; CA - Medical cost rising; NA - ODG and others to discuss treatment guidelines. Lyft's Workers' Comp Sanction Over Gig Status Might Change The Case For Investing In Lyft (LYFT) "The California workers’ compensation sanction highlights reputational and legal-process risk around driver classification, but the dollar amount is small and does not appear to alter the main near term catalyst" Report: Medical Service Costs in California Comp Rising With Payments, Utilization "rose 5% last year on the back of growth in both average payments and utilization" ODG by MCG Expert Joins Workers' Comp Experts for Panel Discussion on Claims ... "Evidence-based recommendations and state treatment guidelines have become foundational to supporting quality, consistent workers' compensation care"

CA- Former judge sentenced; NA - AI role in workers' compensation; TN mental mental from a meeting? Former Orange County judge gets probation in workers' comp fraud case - Daily Journal "Israel Castro, who resigned from the bench and is permanently barred from judicial office, received one year of probation and a $5,000 fine after pleading guilty to felony mail fraud." Your Brain's a Muscle, so don't let AI Take it from You - WorkersCompensation.com "panelists emphasized that AI's greatest potential in workers' compensation may be its ability to analyze large volumes of claims data, identify patterns, and help professionals make more informed decisions. However, they stressed that judgment, accountability, and expertise will remain uniquely human responsibilities." Allstate wins as board affirms denial of worker's mental injury claim - HRD America "A meeting isn't enough to support workers' comp for a mental injury, a Tenness...

FED - Rape civil proceeding precluded by comp immunity; CT - character of injury drives reporting requirement; NA - WCI panel discussed the human element Navy Officer's Lawsuit Alleging Rape Gets Dismissed as Workers' Comp Claim "the Department of Labor determined that her assault took place within the course of her job duties, meaning that it should be adjudicated as a workers’ compensation claim" Nursing assistant loses workers' comp appeal over injury filing deadline "The claimant filed late, so her case survived only if her hip osteoarthritis qualified as an occupational disease. " When Claims Turn Litigious, don't Lose Sight of Human Element: WCI Panel "don't just tell me what you think I want to hear; tell me the truth."

CT - Failure to procure insurance; CT - Police officer accused of fraud; MD - compensability and employment contracts. Bridgeport business owner faces workers' comp charge after employee injured at job site | "charged with one count of noncompliance with insurance requirements, according to a report Wednesday" Norwich police officer accused of workers' compensation fraud - WTNH.com "He faces one count of larceny in the second degree by defrauding a public community and one count of fraudulent claim or receipt of benefits." Court: Former Washington Commanders player can get workers' comp for training camp injury "the commission rejected his claim, saying Brooks did not qualify as a covered employee in the state and that the injury occurred at a practice at the team’s training facility in Ashburn, Virginia."

CT - Failure to provide coverage; CA - Board admonished by Supreme Court; NA - tips for restaurant operators CT company owner accused of failing to maintain workers' compensation insurance "business owners are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance" Workers' Compensation Board May Not 'Toll' Own Deadline - Metropolitan News-Enterprise "A unanimous California Supreme Court yesterday invalidated a 'practice' by the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board to 'equitably toll' a statutory deadline in order to grant itself more time to act on a petition for reconsideration of a decision by an administrative judge" How to leverage training to reduce workplace risk - Pizza Marketplace "pizzeria operators can't afford to cut corners on workers' compensation in an effort to protect their profits. "

NA - changes in sports liabilities; NY - investigation and diminished payments; BC - Mental stress. The Biggest Winner in Sports Is — the Insurance Industry? - Global Finance Magazine "A decade ago, sports insurance meant stadiums, workers’ comp, and injured players. Today it means ransomware, brand damage, NIL contracts, and even sports-betting integrations with little or no actuarial history." Crackdown on phony DOC claims saves city $175M - The Chief "probe into potentially fraudulent workers’ compensation claims by city correction officers contributed to saving the city approximately $175 million in the city’s costs over the past two fiscal years" WCAT rejects border officer's psychological injury claim over debrief delay "he had not been exposed to a traumatic event or a stressor beyond the normal pressures of the job."

FL - Rate reduction proposed; CT - Fraudulent benefits; CA - Utilization review efforts analyzed Florida's Small Businesses Support Workers' Comp Rate Reduction Proposal - NFIB “Small business owners are increasing wages to attract workers, and as these rates are tied directly to payroll, a reduction in WC rates would be beneficial to small business owners and their employees.” Yale police officer accused of collecting over $38K in fraudulent workers comp benefits "after allegedly collecting thousands of dollars worth of benefits when he was healthy enough to return to work" California SB 1160 Study Examines Workers' Comp Treatment - Construction Owners "utilization review requirements appear to have had limited effects on overall treatment approval rates"