Is everything possible being done to protect your company from the costly impacts of Workers Compensation claims? As an employer, you know that injuries will happen. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to prevent them by knowing the dynamics and some of the solutions recommended by the experts.
Minor Injury, Major Claim. It’s the small injuries that often result in big claims. Some statistics show that 80% of workplace injuries are inconsequential, meaning they just require first aid or a trip to a physician. Eight percent of such claims are sprains and strains to the neck, back and various joints. However, these types of injuries account for an estimated 80%-90% of the system’s costs. Major claims are likely to follow if the frequency of such seemingly inconsequential injuries isn’t addressed.
Falsified/Exaggerated Claims. Claims that didn’t actually occur or that occurred outside the workplace are only representative of a small fraction of claims. However, employers can implement tip lines, video surveillance, drug screenings both before employment and after accidents, and so forth to reduce false claims.
The larger problem is from exaggerated injuries. Employers can take these steps to address exaggerated claims:
- Get injured employees immediate and appropriate treatment.
- Even if duties need to be temporarily modified, get injured employees back to work as quick as possible.
- Ensure supervisors communicate with injured employees and convey their concern and support.
- Do as much as possible to reduce the disruption employees may face post-injury.
- Assess and address behavioral issues that could be driving an injured employee’s disability.
Observing Patterns. Experts have recognized that there are patterns of reoccurring claims within groups, such as among certain industries or particular groups of employees. For example, more injuries may be seen in equipment operators that don’t receive proper eye screenings. Overweight employees tend to have more injuries than those of an average weight. The healing of injuries may be longer and more difficult among diabetic employees. Overexertion, meaning doing too much; too fast; and/or too frequently, is one of the primary causes of sprain and strain injuries. This often comes from an employee demanding more of their body than it’s capable of doing. The challenge is that this is a human behavior. Studies have shown that the majority of workplace injuries are from unsafe acts, not unsafe conditions. In other words, even in the absence of workplace hazards, injuries will happen. Additionally, there are also patterns of reoccurring fraudulent and exaggerated claims, such as an employee that seems to repeatedly have accidents.
Claim Reduction. Begin at the hiring process, ensuring that potential employees are capable of doing the physical and mental demands you’ve listed in the applicable job description. It’s important to understand that injury prevention must be embraced at the leadership level to be effective. Statistics show employees are most likely to have injuries when they feel their management doesn’t care. You might also consider:
- Excellent workplace safety programs.
- Efficient communication programs that allow you, injured employees, and insurance adjusters to easily communicate.
- A post-injury protocol, specifying the immediate reporting of an injury to appropriate personnel.
- Routing injured employees to seek medical care from a provider specializing in occupational injuries.
- Staying in touch with both the injured employee and their medical provider, making sure that you communicate your concern and care to the employee as they recover and accommodate any physical restriction recommended by the provider upon their return.
Cost Mitigation. Employers can take several routes to reduce the financial impact of claims. Transitional duty programs that enable an injured employee to continue some capacity of working as they recover would be one example. Research shows that around 40% of employers don’t currently have a transitional duty program. Another example would be referencing treatment guidelines to determine typical recovery times for various injuries. This information can be used to approximate how long it should take an injured employee to be treated and recover. Employers may consider having an on-site clinic for employees to go for both acute injuries and everyday health issues. Partnering with a physical therapy network may be a consideration. Research has shown that companies affiliated with physical therapy networks see injured employees returning to full-duty work 30% faster.
Wellness, Don’t Be Afraid. Lastly, some employers are apprehensive about implementing wellness programs because they’re concerned that participation itself may cause injuries. However, the risk of such is far outweighed by the many benefits of a wellness program, including claim-related benefits like healing faster and being able to resume work sooner. Remember, the success of any program comes from it being accepted from the top down.
