Missouri Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

The Missouri Department of Workers Compensation recently released data on its activities in 2011, including how many new claims were filed and accepted. Some of the highlights of this information include:

• In 2011, the Workers Compensation Administrative Tax/Surcharge was one percent. This surcharge is attached to premiums for workers compensation insurance, and the money is used to allow the Department of Workers Compensation to do its job, including processing new claims for workers’ compensation coverage and looking into instances of potential fraud.
• A total of 112,952 new claims for workers’ compensation benefits were filed in 2011. Claims were filed in one of two ways: by filing a First Report of Injury (FROI) or by filing an employee Claim for Compensation. The total number of awards and workers’ compensation settlements offered in 2011 was 21,636. The Department of Workers Compensation investigated over 1,700 potential fraud cases in 2011 and referred 309 of these cases to local prosecutors.
• Over 1,300 hearings were heard by administrative law judges at the Department of Workers Compensation in 2011 to determine whether an initial denial or limit on benefits was appropriate. Some workers were given access to the Second Injury Fund’s benefits, although the Fund is still facing financial trouble, according to the Department of Workers Compensation.

Workplace injuries can be severe. If you or someone you love has been injured on the job, the experienced Missouri workers’ compensation attorneys at Page Law can help. Call us today at (314) 322-8515 for a free and confidential consultation about your injury case.