At Snow Carpio & Weekley, PLC, we help injured workers access workers’ compensation benefits in Arizona. Our clients are injured in some of the most dangerous industries, such as transportation and construction, while others are hurt at desk jobs. Regardless of how they are injured, many are fearful of being unable to pay their bills when painful injuries sideline them for months. Please call us to discuss whether you can receive workers’ comp. Virtually all employers in the state are in the system, but getting approved isn’t as easy as you might hope.
Because of our experience, we are always paying attention to emerging trends.
The Insurance Journal recently reviewed a report issued by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), which highlighted emerging workers’ compensation issues nationwide. We have seen many of these trends in Arizona, as well. At our firm, we are standing on the front lines and can help injured workers adjust to changing work environments.
Weather-Related Injuries
Extreme temperatures lead to more injuries than when the weather is mild. We have seen that in Arizona, where blistering hot days are followed by freezing nights. Climate change is driving more weather extremes, and workers are suffering.
Heat related injuries include:
- Heat stress
- Heat syncope
- Heat rash
- Heat stroke
Workers outside are exposed to the elements due to lack of climate control. So as the temperatures rise, workers in construction can suffer more injuries and illnesses due to increasing temps. In fact, data shared by the NCCI showed that injuries jumped 5% when temperatures reached 80 degrees, and they increased 10% when temps got up over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Increasing temperatures also impact those who work inside. Your business might have insufficient air conditioning. Strain and similar injuries are more frequent in the warm weather. The NCCI found that even office workers showed a meaningful increase in workplace injuries when temperatures increased over 100 degrees.
Cold weather is also dangerous. The NCCI report found that accidents in the transportation industry jumped during cold weather, often because of ice or snow forming on the roads. But slip and falls also increase in the cold, due to ice formation on sidewalks.
With weather extremes increasing, workers face increased stresses. We strongly encourage workers to open lines of communication with their employers about hot or cold temperatures.
A Changing Safety Environment
Improvements in data collection allow insurers to visualize what types of accidents lead to time off from work. Insurers can then identify which technologies will reduce the risk of injury and pressure employers to adopt these emerging technologies.
For example, the insurance industry has noticed that about 60% of days missed are the result of slip and falls or strains. Many workers strain their back when they lift heavy objects, so insurers are developing safety technology to help workers stabilize their backs when lifting. That could reduce the number of days missed.
Emerging workplace safety includes:
- Wearable devices, such as exoskeletons which protect workers who climb or devices with sensors which inform management a worker has fallen.
- Backpacks which offer lift force assistance to those who lift heavy items.
- Workplace safety reporting software, which allows companies to identify safety issues and target solutions more effectively.
- New safety training techniques which incorporate immersive technology or virtual reality.
Workplace safety innovations could potentially cut the number of injured and improve workplace efficiency. But all technology is only as good as the training workers receive. In any event, a worker should still receive workers’ compensation benefits, even if they used personal protection equipment (PPE).
Mental Health & Workers’ Compensation
Increasingly, providers are paying closer attention to their patients’ mental health. Consequently, more workers are encouraged to miss work to address mental injuries, such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Most mental distress accompanies a physical injury. For example, a painful lower back injury can keep someone holed up at home for months. The same is true with a concussion. Being cooped up for so long leads to irritability and other mental distress, including depression. As a result, a worker’s medical team should pay attention to the mental side of the injury and not over-focus on solely the physical.
In a smaller number of cases, a worker suffers a mental-mental injury. That means, the worker suffers emotional distress from a psychologically stressful event—but not one which leads to a physical injury. For example, a bank teller or schoolteacher could have a gun pointed at their head during a robbery or kidnapping. The stress leads to a breakdown or PTSD.
Across the country, mental-mental injuries are only about 2% of workers’ compensation claims. This is a tough claim to bring in Arizona. Our state will only allow mental-mental claims when the stress suffered is unusual, unexpected or otherwise extraordinary. Instead, most people with mental claims also have an accompanying physical injury.
Either way, workers with mental distress injuries usually require more treatment. According to the NCCI, a claim with a mental diagnosis is 2.5-6 times more expensive than other claims. That represents a significant cost.
Some insurers might resist paying for mental health treatment, even if you need it. You should work with an attorney who can ensure you are receiving all medical treatment as required by law.
Speak with an Experienced Arizona Workers’ Compensation Attorney
These are only some of the most significant trends happening around the country, as well as in Arizona. At Snow, Carpio & Weekley, PLLC, we have the type of broad experience workers need when they are hurt on the job. We can jump in and ensure your workers’ compensation claim is taken seriously. If it is initially denied, we can gather other helpful evidence to use on an appeal. We are proud of our results helping injured workers throughout the state.
An experienced attorney is standing by to help anyone hurt in a workplace accident. We have assisted workers access medical benefits, indemnity benefits, and vocational training. Give us a call if you have a question, (877) 370-5788.
