WorkCompNews

NA - Workplace violence explained; NA - National premium declined; KY - Retaliation alleged; PA - Pension concerns; NA - Failed surgery syndrome Potential Implications for Workplace Violence and Workers' Comp - Insurance Journal "from threats and verbal abuse to physical assault and homicide. But the two ends of that spectrum are moving in opposite directions" Update the State! - WorkCompRecap "countrywide private carrier net written premium for CY 2025 declined 0.2% to approximately $41.6 billion" Baker Hughes worker alleges retaliation for seeking workers' comp after frac tank incident "she filed for workers compensation after a superior allegedly told her to stick her head in multiple frac tanks." Allegheny County Joins Long List of States Shouldering Massive Unfunded Worker Pensions "Nationwide, 47 of the 50 states had unfunded pensions in 2024, according to Reason Foundation’s" When Chronic Pain Changes a Life, Don't Let Friends...

CT- Three accused of comp violations; NY - Corrections Department payouts publicized; NA - Understanding terrorrism coverage; NY - Bus driver award affirmed despite allegations; TX - Employee alleges coverage hidden.  3 Connecticut business owners arrested for alleged workers' comp violations - WTNH.com "employees who were not reported to the insurance carrier" and "did not have an active workers’ compensation insurance policy." Workers' comp payments to state prison employees top $255 million - Mid Hudson News "New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision paid more than $255 million in workers’ compensation to employees during the 2026 fiscal year, a 20.2 percent increase from the previous year" Terrorism Risk Insurance Program: What You Need to Know - WorkersCompensation.com "TRIP serves as a vital backstop for workers' compensation insurers because state laws mandate that workers' compensation policies cover te...

NA - Spych claims increasing; NA - Social determinants back in the news; NA - Pay as you go, real wage comp coverage; NA - Seasonal Affective Disorder's variable impacts Investigations key as employers navigate rising psych comp claims - Business Insurance "Workers compensation claims for mental injuries are rising due to expanding state laws and shifting workforce demographics" John Peters: Social Determinants of Health, Injury Recovery, and Claim Litigation "Social determinants of health (SDOH), including economic stability, housing, food security, transportation, and social support, are increasingly recognized as major drivers of recovery after injury, independent of the injury itself. " Coverdash embeds pay-as-you-go workers' comp into 7shifts Payroll - FinTech Global "The partnership addresses a longstanding challenge for restaurants, where hourly staffing, seasonal hiring and employee turnover can cause payroll costs to fluctuate significantly thr...

NA - Mental health needs higher in some populations; CA - Cumulative trauma a challenge; NA - Severity rises 4% while frequency is down 2%; OK - Accommodated worker refused lower paying position; CT - Increases for on the job assault victims What a decade of workers' comp data shows about mental health claimants - HR Executive "mental health conditions account for a larger share of workers' comp claims among higher-paid workers, women and employees with several years on the job." Cumulative trauma: Managing CA's Workers Comp exposure - Marsh "shifted in the past three years from a background concern to a front-line financial exposure." Workers comp medical, indemnity severity each up 4%: NCCI - Business Insurance "indemnity and medical lost-time claim severity each increased an estimated 4% in accident year 2025" Oklahoma high court upholds firing of worker who declined reassignment "could no longer perform his duties because of medical re...

NA - Workers' compensation still profitable; NA - Younger and Older workers having most injuries; NA - Differences in group health, Comp celebrated; MN - Fee schedule cuts flatten medical costs.  Workers' comp's profit streak is intact, but the math is changing - Insurance Business "posted a combined ratio below 100 for twelve consecutive years among private carriers, according to NCCI. The run of underwriting profits has made it the most reliable casualty line in the US market" Younger and Older Workers Drive Shift in Workers' Comp Claims Mix, WCRI Finds "claims are increasingly concentrated among the youngest and oldest segments of the workforce, according to a report from WCRI" National Comp 2026: What Group Health Can Learn From Comp - Risk & Insurance “Workers’ compensation is much more than a health benefit. It’s a liability-driven benefit,” Minnesota workers' comp medical costs flat in 2025 after 2 years of increases "WCRI points ...

CA - time limit for reconsideration; OH - Fraud requires restitution; TN - Fee schedule applies to past care; VA - Change of leadership in adjudications; NSW - Changes in psychological burdens. California high court says comp board missed review deadline - Business Insurance "the board had 60 days to act on the employer’s request, but it did not agree to reconsider the award until 144 days after the request was filed." Ohio Woman Ordered to Pay Over $53k in Restitution for Workers' Comp Fraud "Special Investigations Department determined she had collected disability benefits while simultaneously providing non-medical in-home care services for multiple employers." Appeals board says comp fee schedule applies to unauthorized care - Business Insurance "An employer ordered to pay for previously denied medical treatment is not required to pay more than the amounts allowed under the state’s workers' compensation medical fee schedule" VA Workers' Comp...

CA- Combined ratio highest in 20 years; AZ - Proving the obvious causation; TN - Lawsuits over 2025 explosion; TN - Delay in self-represented case. California Workers' Comp Combined Ratio Highest in More Than 20 Years "combined ratio for California workers’ compensation insurers reached 127% in 2025, the highest in more than 20 years" Did Staggering Trucker have to Prove Exhaust Leak Sickened Him? - WorkersCompensation.com "A case involving a driver who breathed in toxic fumes during a three-hour trip examines just how obvious that link needs to be." Lawsuits mount ahead of 1-year anniversary of AES plant explosion - WSMV "The blast killed 16 AES employees, making it one of the deadliest industrial disasters in recent years." Comp board backs delay in Walgreens worker's robbery-related claim - Business Insurance "The board said the judge had a valid concern about the self-represented worker’s capacity to pursue benefits"

NA - evidence of fraud decreasing; NA - Accommodated return to work produced positive results; NA- Industry mix changed after COVID; NC- Leased employee could sue the workplace, as he was not their employee. Report Shows Fraud Referral Rates Declined, Severity Increased - Claims Journal "as the frequency of fraud may be decreasing, the severity and cost of those claims continue to drive substantial losses." Study: Structured return-to-work programs foster workers' comp claim resolution "three common barriers: employers may lack appropriate modified-duty jobs, workers' compensation expertise may be limited, and there may be no standardized process for managing accommodations." WCRI Study Finds Workers' Comp Injury Industry Mix Shifted After Pandemic “This study provides a view of the composition of workers’ compensation claims across a period of significant change in the workforce and economy,” Temp worker's injury lawsuit survives after company's...

NA - Labor market looks soft; IL - Work rules are for work, compensation is broader; NA - Tips on claims success; NC - Supervisor's assault and battery supports lawsuit Labor Lookin! - WorkCompRecap "At an industry level, the job market looked like it was at a standstill, with very little gain or loss across industries." Worker keeps comp benefits for fall in sandals while heading to charge phone Prohibitions and rules "apply while working," and workers' compensation applies whether working or not. Communication, Finding 'Why' Top Tipsters' List of how to Improve Workers' Comp Empathy, timeliness, dignity, and setting the tone Comp exclusivity does not bar suit over supervisor's alleged violent acts "allegations of repeated blows to the head and neck fell within an exception to workers compensation exclusivity."

NSW - Evidence-based medicine; NA - Compliance and consistency challenges; NA - Is AI improving outcomes? KO - Cancer claims up, acceptance down; NY - Mandating ADR NSW scheme implements 'reasonable and necessary' rule - insuranceNEWS.com.au "This change is designed to improve consistency in decision-making about evidence-based treatment and support across the scheme." Tracking Workers' Comp Regulation Changes Across States in 2026 "a structured, practical approach to tracking workers' compensation compliance across state lines." Comp industry looks beyond AI time savings to worker outcomes - Business Insurance "determining whether those savings translate into better outcomes for injured workers remains a challenge." Occupational cancer workers' comp claims up 5.8-fold in 7 years, but approval rate slides into the 30s Korean "Claims for workers' compensation recognition of occupational cancer have surged, but the approval rat...

KO - Comp agency criticized for frequency; NA - AI capability is dependent on relevance; LA - Misstatements derail the claim; NA - Data is not the struggle; integration and implementation are; NA - Agricultural risks and the harvest season. Exclusive: 120 workplace accidents recorded at agency that handles workers' comp claims "The figures have prompted criticism that the agency, which bills itself as a lifeline for injured workers, has failed to adequately protect its own employees." The AI Model Isn't Your Advantage, The Knowledge Behind It Is | Healthcare IT Today "It works until the claims get complicated. Point a capable model at the wrong knowledge and it returns an answer that’s logically sound but confidently wrong. " Louisiana court upholds comp forfeiture over undisclosed injuries - Business Insurance "Upheld the denial of workers' compensation benefits to a health system employee who failed to disclose prior workplace accidents and a reco...

WI—11th straight year of premium reduction; IL—General liability and workplace injury; NA—Asthma, rhinitis, and more; CA—Disparity between employment and comp frequency and expenditure; NA—Making case law, it is not personal. Wisconsin Workers' Comp Rates Decrease for 11th Straight Year - Insurance Journal "approximately 2% over the coming year, making the 11th straight year the state has seen premiums decline." Insurer prevails in coverage dispute over carpenter's death "Stone Development had no workers' compensation coverage in effect when the accident occurred." Seasonal Allergies Shift from Pollen to Mold - WorkersCompensation.com "Allergic rhinitis produces inflammation, congestion, sneezing, watery eyes, and other familiar symptoms. Cognitive effects are less visible. " WorkCompRecap: Examining Expansion! - WorkCompWire "California’s share of total U.S. benefit payments grew from 21.0% in 2022 to 21.7% in 2023 despite a significant s...

CA - Raising worker rights awareness; CA - Bus driver fraud; NA - Challenges of respiratory claims; TN - Sick building case and expert credibility; NA - Study on litigation and claims cost. California to spend $35 million on workers' rights outreach "giving $34.9 million in grants to more than 100 organizations to promote workers’ rights" Former Bus Operator Convicted of Workers' Comp Fraud - CSLEA.com "There was also bus surveillance video from multiple camera angles that did not support Means’ claim that she was repeatedly punched or otherwise attacked" Respiratory Viruses in the Workplace - WorkersCompensation.com "Cool weather does not directly “cause” a cold, but temperature and humidity influence both viruses and the human respiratory tract." Town ignored mold for years then denied sick worker's comp claim - HRD America "Oakland's defense rested on negative tests its own doctor never fully explained." Montgomery: Predicting ...

NA - Kids' Chance Awareness Week; big numbers; OH - Fraud by running business while on comp; NA - Friction in benefit delivery; NA - Workers focus on benefits; KY - Alcohol is not a sound intoxication defense. Kids' Chance of America Celebrates Kids' Chance Week 2026, Putting Students' Stories at ... "50 state organizations awarded 769 scholarships and nearly $4 million to students affected by workplace tragedies this year, bringing lifetime support to more than $46 million since 1988" Ohio man pleads guilty to workers' comp fraud case - ABC 6 News "he ran his own business while collecting disability benefits he was not entitled to receive." The Blockbuster Problem in Occupational Hearing Loss - WorkersCompensation.com "friction isn't just an inconvenience. It's a second cost layered on top of the first. Put workplace benefits back into focus this fall - HR Executive "Nearly four out of five (79%) employees believe their company...

NA - Frequency higher amid newer workers; NA - Carrier retires wearables; NA - Wearables lauded at a compensation convention; NA - Mental health claims increasing; Pot in the workplace gaining tolerance.  Workers in first two years on job account for 54% of comp injuries: WCRI "Nearly four in 10 injuries occurred during employees’ first year with an employer, including 16% during their first three months" Kinetic Insurance Retires Reflex Wearables for Workers' Comp Policyholders "Reflex showed us what data can do for frontline safety. When part of the daily routine, we saw that Reflex drove consistent reductions in sprains and strains,” Mental Health Workers' Comp Claims Rise 47% Since 2015, WCRI Finds - Risk & Insurance "With Wide Variation by State, Industry and Worker Demographics" National Comp 2026: Workplace Wearables, Opportunities and Best Practices "Wearables offer real-time hazard detection and ergonomic insights, but employers must w...

NA - Insuracne workforce aging; NA - Broad business concerns of volatility; CA - deputy convicted of fraud; CT - rate decrease proposed; NA - GLP-1 spending and the potential benefits  Brandy Davis: A New Adjuster's Guide to IMEs: Things we Take For Granted with Experienced Pros "50% of the current insurance workforce will retire over the next 15 years, resulting in 400,000 openings in need of candidates" Executives Under Pressure: Geopolitical, Economic, and Operational Threats Create ... "the business environment has become increasingly volatile and complex since the start of 2026, with 82% reporting greater concern about their businesses’ futures." Former San Mateo County sheriff's deputy gets jail time for workers' comp fraud "sentenced to five months in county jail after pleading no contest earlier this year to felony workers’ compensation fraud charges," Connecticut Weighs 4.9% Workers' Comp Loss Cost Decrease for 2027 - Insurance Jou...

MB - expanding presumptions; NA - Autumn brings changes, NA - Effective execution demonstrated; CA - Fraud conviction; MD - Medical delays implicated in second injury. Firefighters like plan to change workers' comp - Brandon Sun "Manitoba government announced Saturday it will make legislative changes to expand presumptive workers’ compensation coverage for firefighters" Earlier Darkness & Commuting Safety - WorkersCompensation.com "A shift that begins at 6:30 a.m. in July may begin in darkness by late October or November, while an evening commute that once occurred in daylight gradually moves into twilight and darkness." Execution, Not Strategy, Separates Top Workers' Comp Claims Performers "Higher-performing claims organizations achieve strong results by executing common industry priorities effectively" Former CA Correctional Officer Convicted of Felony Workers' Comp Fraud - WorkCompWire "pled no contest to felony insurance fraud and...

WA - rate increase proposed; NA - Premum Calculation; NA - Pharmacy update; FL - Wages in lieu of comp; NA - Indoor air quality examined Another rate hike from the state Monopoly on insurance - Washington Policy Center "Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries wants a 4.9 percent average increase in workers’ compensation rates for 2027" What brokers should tell staffing clients before workers' comp renewal - Insurance Business "Those factors are the class codes applied to payroll, the experience modification factor, and which carriers are willing to write the account." Update: Don't Miss These 3 Key Updates in Workers' Comp Pharmacy "Maryland’s first-ever workers’ comp pharmacy fee schedule is now overdue, a... a divestment deadline looming in Tennessee. Regulators in four states are also tightening rules on topicals." 3 Key Cases on Salary in Lieu of Compensation under Florida Workers' Compensation Law "Here's a look at ...

NA - Chemical exposure burden of proof; NA - Prescription price and choices; NA - How do higher performers do so; CA - Prison officer pleads no contest to fraud; CA - Repetitive trauma claims surging. What the SDS Trail Has to Prove in a Chemical Exposure Workers' Comp Claim "Safety data sheets, hazard communication records, and exposure logs form a documentation record " High prescription costs force patients to quit treatment - HR Executive "Nearly all physicians (96%) report that patients stopped taking a medication because of cost without telling them" Rising Medical Solutions Publishes 13th Annual Workers' Comp Benchmarking Study Report "higher performing workers’ compensation claims organizations are not necessarily distinguished by different priorities, but by how effectively they execute them." Former Salinas Valley State Prison officer pleads no contest to workers' comp fraud "prosecutors determined she fabricated workplace injuri...

TN - Injury description in med records; NA - AI in claims; CT - Premium dispute influenced by delay; NA - trends in classification practices Truck driver's own doctor sinks workers' comp claim in Tennessee "he described three years of progressive knee pain and chronic hip discomfort. He did not mention a work-related fall. " CLARA Analytics Unveils Industry's First End-to-End Agentic Claims Intelligence Platform "the New AI Workforce Handles Every Case Around the Clock, From First Notice to Resolution, With Adjusters Always in Control" Court backs Wesco's rapid judgment against silent contractor - Insurance Business "A drywall contractor's months of silence cost it any chance to challenge a premium debt" Portable Benefits Legislation Surges As States Rethink Worker Classification Rules "bills tying portable benefits to independent-contractor status in 2026, reshaping the worker classification landscape"

NV - Major change in premium calculation; NA - length of tenure is a risk; NA - Safety and seasonal hiring; WA - rate increase to be shared by employers and employees; NA - Federalism and inconsistency. Nevada Removes Workers' Comp Payroll Cap Oct. 1 - HRMorning "a major change in workers’ compensation premium calculations under SB 317, effective Oct. 1, 2026." Seasonal hiring surge? Don't skimp on safety training - Insurance Business "the biggest risk businesses face when hiring students or seasonal workers is often the most overlooked – length of tenure." 4.9% Workers' Comp Rate Increase Proposed in Washington - Insurance Journal "Employers in Washington pay roughly 75% of the premium, and workers pay about 25%." What Is Workers' Comp Compliance Research in 2026 - WorkersCompensation.com "Every workers' compensation claim is governed by a different set of rules depending on the state where the injury occurred."