When The Choice Isn’t Yours: Workers’ Comp Doctors

Apr 01 2017

In Colorado, employers and insurance companies get to choose who treats you for your workers’ compensation claim. After your injury, they will give you a list of four doctors — the “designated provider list” — and you will need to pick one of them. Seem unfair? You bet it is. In fact, it creates a questionable conflict of interest. Just like any business, doctors and medical offices want referrals. They know the more they bill the insurance company, the more likely the insurance company will kick them off the designated provider list. While they may treat you for your injuries,…

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Are surviving dependents entitled to work comp benefits?

Mar 30 2017

While most people are willing to accept that there is a possibility they could suffer some manner of work-related injury on any given day, they might have a much harder time accepting the possibility that they could actually lose their lives while performing their duties. Sadly, statistics from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration reveal that workplace fatalities are far more common than people might realize, reaching an astounding 4,836 in 2015 or, put another way, more than 93 per week or more than 13 per day.  All this raises the question as to what happens in terms of…

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Did you know March is National Ladder Safety Month? – II

Mar 22 2017

Earlier this month, we discussed how March 2017 has been designated by the American Ladder Institute as National Ladder Safety Month, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to do everything from decrease ladder-related injuries and deaths to encourage the disposal of “old, damaged or obsolete ladders.” To understand why such a program is necessary, consider that statistics show that as many as 500 workers are taken to emergency rooms every day for ladder accidents, with thousands left with disabling injuries and over 300 ultimately losing their lives each year. Last time, we indicated that workers can protect themselves from becoming one of…

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Workers’ Comp At A Turning Point: Should Workers Be Concerned?

Mar 20 2017

There was a consistent message throughout the most recent Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) conference: workers’ compensation is at a turning point, and it is more important now than it ever has been. A System Thrown Off Balance Workers’ compensation is often described as a balancing act between keeping employers’ costs down and providing adequate benefits for injured workers. Many panelists at the conference noted that this balancing act has been thrown off by factors such as: Strong lobbying efforts on the part of employers An erosion of other social safety nets, such as health insurance and pensions, which diminished…

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Does Iowa Provide A Glimpse Of The Future Of Colorado Workers’ Comp?

Mar 17 2017

Some states are considering scaling back workers’ compensation benefits and workers’ comp systems as a whole. This naturally leads to a question for Colorado workers – is our state next? That question is difficult to answer, especially due to the political party division that exists in Colorado’s state government. However, we can look at what is happening in these other states to get a glimpse of what may be in store for our state down the road. Iowa Workers’ Comp Proposal Seeks A ‘One-Sided Outcome’ Perhaps the most extreme legislation that has been proposed comes from Iowa. Recent bills introduced…

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Study finds tattoo artists at an elevated risk of work injuries

Mar 15 2017

In the not-so-distant past, there was something of a cultural stigma attached to the idea of tattoos, such that they were considered to be outside the norm. Fast forward to the present, however, and societal attitudes have shifted considerably, something evidenced by the fact that roughly one in three Americans has a tattoo. Indeed, tattoos are now a multi-billion dollar industry that is estimated to grow by an astounding 13 percent annually. While this reality has resulted in a demand for tattoo artists, a recent study has revealed that those planning to pursue this as a career should proceed with…

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Timeline: Workers’ Comp Claims in Colorado

Mar 14 2017

After a work injury, workers’ who have been hurt rightfully have many questions. While clients often ask things such as “what workers’ comp benefits am I able to get?” and “will workers’ comp cover my medical bills?,” one question comes up in every situation: how long until I get my workers’ comp benefits? After a work injury, workers’ who have been hurt rightfully have many questions. While clients often ask things such as “what workers’ comp benefits am I able to get?” and “will workers’ comp cover my medical bills?,” one question comes up in every situation: how long until…

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Does Being Fired Mean You Can’t Get Workers’ Comp Benefits?

Mar 09 2017

While most people know that you can get workers’ comp benefits for work-related injuries while you are employed, what happens if you are terminated or fired? Can you still get benefits for a job-related illness or injury? When You Can Get Benefits Workers’ comp is designed to protect employees from injuries and illnesses that are closely related to their jobs. If you are injured or become sick due to your work, the benefits offered under the law don’t simply vanish if you are fired. If you were already receiving benefits, you can continue to do so. If you have not…

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Did you know March is National Ladder Safety Month?

Mar 07 2017

In a post last week, we discussed how it might come as something of a surprise for people to learn that the American Academy of Ophthalmology has long urged workers to make prevention of work-related eye injuries a priority during the month of March. As eye opening as this news was, it may come as an even bigger surprise for people to learn that yet another group has decided to use the 31 days of March as a platform to warn about a workplace hazard. Indeed, the American Ladder Institute has designated March 2017 as the first-ever National Ladder Safety…

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Workers’ Comp and Second Opinions

Mar 06 2017

When it may be wise to seek a second medical opinion after a work injury Unless you have considerable medical training yourself, you probably tend to rely on your doctor’s orders and take them at face value. Physicians undergo substantial schooling and testing to practice medicine. Therefore, you are often safe to assume your doctor knows what he or she is talking about when it comes to diagnosing your condition or recommending courses of action for associated treatment. Physicians are not immune from error, however, and there are some situations in which you may find it beneficial to secure a…

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