There are many pitfalls for even the most conscientious worker focusing on safety. Many jobs in Louisiana, such as short-haul trucking and industrial fishing, have some of the highest injury rates of industries around the country. The state is also a center of offshore drilling, a type of resource extraction with the highest death rate.
Workers’ compensation is one protection that ensures employees can get financial help out of an unexpected injury on the job. Every state guarantees the right of injured and disabled workers to claim lost wages and help for medical expenses while they are recovering from a work injury.
This right should be easier to claim in the Bayou State, as insurance rates for workers’ compensation are dropping for businesses from Shreveport to Slidell. The National Council on Compensation Insurance’s request was approved by the insurance commissioner in Baton Rouge and is due to take effect in May 2019. This will lower the prices of workers’ compensation provision, a market worth $800 million in premiums throughout Louisiana.
This is more good news for businesses who require workers’ compensation insurance, as the lowering costs of premiums have dropped by more than half since 1998. The last five years alone have seen a 19 percent drop in rates, lowering barriers to paying out compensation to injured workers.
Some claims for workers’ compensation may be denied for vague or incorrect reasons, and claimants may consult a lawyer on the best path forward toward the compensation they need. An attorney can help work with businesses and authorizing organizations to approve a claim for required coverage.