Insurers Oppose Proposed Calif. Workers' Comp Deductible
West News • August 16, 2007
Some California insurers are asking the Legislature to reconsider a proposal that they say will boost workers' compensation temporary disability payments to injured workers dramatically.
The ...
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Subject: RE: TTD issue
Posted On: September 13, 2007, 11:36 am CDT
Posted By: BCobb
Comment:
The answer to your questions is, 'California has the workers' compensation system because, before that, they did use civil litigation in the case of an injured worker.' The problem was, injured workers were prevailing in about 15% of the cases. California has something over 500,000 workplace injuries each year. Can you imagine 15% of those workers getting a personal injury award from a 'jury of their peers' - the same ones that awarded a woman $7 million because she spilled a cup of McDonald's coffee in her own lap while driving?
The workers' comp system is the greatest deal any employer is ever going to get. The problem is that 'everyone' was gaming the system until it got out of control in the early 2000's. The legislator's remedy was reform legislation that, in essence, took about 50% of the benefits from the injured worker (PD, TTD, VocRehab, and Utilization Review). The carriers pocketed the savings.
Our workers' compensation system is just like our immigration system - we don't need any new laws; we just need to enforce the ones we already have on the books - fairly and equally.
West News 
Subject: RE: TTD issue
The workers' comp system is the greatest deal any employer is ever going to get. The problem is that 'everyone' was gaming the system until it got out of control in the early 2000's. The legislator's remedy was reform legislation that, in essence, took about 50% of the benefits from the injured worker (PD, TTD, VocRehab, and Utilization Review). The carriers pocketed the savings.
Our workers' compensation system is just like our immigration system - we don't need any new laws; we just need to enforce the ones we already have on the books - fairly and equally.