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 ...