Missouri Lawmakers Aim To Change Workers' Compensation Laws

February 28, 2012
State lawmakers in Missouri approved a bill this past Thursday that could create significant changes in the rules that govern the state’s workers’ compensation program. According to reports from STL Today, the Missouri Legislature is under immense pressure to make the changes after the state’s attorney general disclosed that millions of dollars of injured workers’ medical bills are piling up and going unpaid because the funds haven’t been replenished.
Attorney General Chris Koster says the state owes $14 million to 184 injured workers due to the lack of funding. The bill accrues $1.3 million in annual interest that taxpayers pick up as well, and there also are roughly 29,000 pending cases that could cost the state more than $145 million.
Lawmakers are hoping a reduction in litigation costs associated with certain injuries could reduce the overall cost to the state. Bills now in the House and Senate propose regulations against employees suing coworkers for on-the-job injuries. These bills also include new coverage for certain occupational diseases, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or cancers that can be developed from toxic exposure.
The Missouri Workers’ Compensation Attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers have decades of experience helping workers who have been hurt at no fault of their own while working. If you have been injured in an on-the-job accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, call us today for a free consultation of your case.