workers’ compensation News

California Workers’ Comp Report Looks at Spinal Fusion Claims

A study on the use of spinal fusion surgeries in California workers’ compensation shows that in 60 percent of spinal fusion claims the initial report of injury was for a sprain or strain, a majority of the fusions occurred within …

Pinnacol Issues $50M in Workers’ Comp Dividends to Colorado Employers

Colorado workers’ compensation insurer Pinnacol Assurance is distributing $50 million in dividend checks this month to its policyholders. More than 53,000 employers throughout the state — roughly 94.2 percent of the company’s policyholders — will receive a dividend in recognition …

California Workers Comp Medical Review Volume Hit a Record in 2016

The California workers’ compensation independent medical review process used to resolve medical disputes found that in 2016 IMR physicians once again upheld about 90 percent of utilization review physician’s modifications or denials of treatment, yet IMR volume climbed 6.5 percent …

CDI Issues Directive on New Workers’ Comp Law Pertaining to Excluded Employees

The California Department of Insurance has notified the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of its concern that some insurers may be in violation of Assembly Bill 2883. This law, which went into effect on Jan. 1, excludes an officer or …

Convicted Ohio Burglar Pleads Guilty to Workers’ Comp Fraud

A Cincinnati man serving time in an Indiana prison for burglary got a short break from prison March 9, but only to plead guilty to workers’ compensation fraud in an Ohio courtroom, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation reported. John …

Houston Fire Chief: Recommit to Safety After Firefighter Death

The Houston fire chief says the recent death of a firefighter from injuries he suffered four years ago must spur a renewed commitment to firefighter safety to avoid future fatalities. Chief Samuel Pena spoke at a memorial service for retired …

Some Kansas Lawmakers Want State, not Feds, to Regulate Workplace Safety

Some Kansas lawmakers want the state to take over the job of writing and enforcing workplace regulations, despite concerns by a labor rights group that the change could water down safety oversight. Lawmakers and some business groups say a state-run …

Owner of Hotel Cleaning Firm in California Pleads Guilty to Workers’ Comp Fraud

Hyok Kwon, owner of Good Neighbor Services, a janitorial company that provided services to some of San Diego’s most exclusive hotels and resorts, has pleaded yesterday to seven felonies, including premium and employment tax fraud. Kwon was convicted of creating …

Texas Mutual Launches e-Learning Tool for Policyholders

Workers’ compensation Texas Mutual Insurance Co. has launched a free workplace safety training tool for policyholders called e-Learning. e-Learning gives business owners access to a library of more than 200 modern, video-based training courses on a variety of workplace safety …

Report: High Volume, Low Costs For Comp Claims in Northernmost California

California’s northern most counties accounted for 1.1 percent of the state’s workforce but 3.3 percent of the job injury claims, according to a report from the California Workers’ Compensation Institute. CWCI’s regional score card provides data on claims filed by …