Questions and Answers with Jacque Brawner Dean
What's workers' compensation claims impact here?
Questions and Answers with Jacque Brawner Dean

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Published: July 31, 2008

Q: How widespread and costly are workers' compensation claims?

A: In 2007, 14,888 Oklahoma employees filed for workers' compensation; judges ordered permanent partial disability or permanent total disability for 3,431 employees. Under Oklahoma law, injured workers also can receive temporary total disability at a maximum of $577 a week for up to 300 weeks. The compensation is scheduled to increase Nov. 1.

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Q: Are claims on the rise?

A: Last year marked a slight increase in filings over the previous years. But claims have steadily decreased over the past 10 years.

Q: What are some clues that a claim may be fraudulent?

A: There are many, including delayed report of the injury, vague or changing details of how the injury occurred, Friday or Monday injuries — and lack of witnesses, which occurs in six of every 10 denied claims.

Other times, co-workers may spy a claimant with a reported back injury building a deck on his home or doing other activities inconsistent with an alleged injury. Workers who don't have health insurance also tend to turn all injuries into a workers' comp case, for which injuries are covered 100 percent.

Q: Is there a requirement that must be met on all claims?

A: Yes. The major cause of injury has to be work-related and not natural aging or deterioration.

Q: How can employers reduce workers' compensation costs?

A: I recommend employers pay a case manager to manage claimants' health care and provide structured and short-term duty to get claimants back on the job within six months. If claimants are off work longer, 50 percent never return.

Business Writer Paula Burkes

Related Topics: Health and Fitness, Medicine, Business, Workers' Compensation, Jobs and Labor, Injuries and Traumas