New York residents and business owners should be aware of this recent article that discusses a study focusing on workers injured early in their employment. Injured soon after they are hired, these employees are more likely to file multiple, repeat workers’ compensation claims.
According to Business Insurance, assumptions are often prevalent. The American Society of Safety Professionals says that employers should focus on the types of injuries and work performed rather than zero in on repeat claimants as possibly fraudulent.
However, it’s possible that early-employment and repeat claims may be red flags for fraud. On the other hand, some consulting firms, who work with workers compensation claims, say the focus should be improved training rather than fraud. People get hurt when working on a new task; they feel it is irresponsible to say the injuries are fraudulent.
A study by Johns Hopkins School of Medicine looked at workers who suffer their first injury on the job within six months of employment. They were more than twice as likely to have three or more lost-time injuries during their entire duration of employment.
If a business is facing workers compensation claims, they should consult with an attorney who handles this type of lawsuit and the defense of the business. Understanding the complexity of workers compensation laws is necessary. If a business has an employee who was hurt the first week on the job, the law firm could mitigate the future risk as well as minimize financial loss to the business. A law firm that understands businesses and workers compensation will be an asset to its clients, with expertise and knowledge of regulations for business owners.
