Today’s issue of WorkCompRecap features the California WCIRB’s recent release of a new report that examines the medical characteristics of Cumulative Trauma claims in workers’ compensation.
The WCIRB noted that in the California workers’ compensation system, CT claims have always been a cost driver. Key findings included that indemnity claims are the key driver of cumulative trauma (CT) claim costs; and CT indemnity claims have a higher payment share for medical-legal and medical liens services than non-CT claims, mostly driven by significantly higher levels of utilization. Additionally the report found that CT claims are more likely to involve soft tissue injuries and mental/psychiatric conditions, and post-termination CT claims filed following large layoffs tend to concentrate in the manufacturing and service sectors and in the Los Angeles region.