Raleigh Employment Attorney | Scudder & Hedrick

Florida Workers' Comp. Rates to Decrease 6.8%

Posted on October 15th, 2009 No Comments

Florida employers are getting a break on workerscompensation insurance. The state’s insurance commissioner said on Thursdaythat he has approved a proposed rate decrease of 6.8 percent. The decreasetakes effect January 1 for all new and renewed workers’ compensation policies.

The National Council on Compensation Insurance, whichsubmitted the rate reduction, expects the decrease to result in around $166million in savings for employers.

The Florida Supreme Court ruled last October that claimantattorneys were entitled to “reasonable fees” in workers compensation insurancecases. Critics of the ruling worried that the decision would result in higherpremiums for businesses. Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said in a release“If it were not for the legislation, the workers’ compensation industry inFlorida would likely have proposed rate increases instead of decreases in2010.”

If you have been injured in the workplace, please contactthe Raleigh Workers’ Compensation Lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC at919-851-3311.

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Study Finds Workers' Comp System Not Function for Low-Wage Workers

Posted on September 29th, 2009 No Comments

New research from theNational Employment Law Project found that very few employees who earn around$8 an hour filed a workers’ compensation claim and received benefits for awork-related injury.

In addition to theworkers’ comp findings, the study also shows that a large number of low-wageworkers experienced violations of federal regulations that govern overtime pay,minimum wage and employer retaliation.

The study, called Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers, foundthat 12 percent of the subjects experienced a serious work-related injuryduring the last three years. “We found that the workers’ compensation system isvery rarely used by our respondents,” the study said. “Only 8 percent of theworkers in our sample who experienced a serious injury during the previousthree years had filed a workers’ compensation claim for their most recentinjury. This finding clearly indicates that the workers’ compensation system isnot functioning as intended for front-line workers in the low-wage labormarket.”

If you need helpobtaining workers’ compensation, please contact the Raleigh Workers’Compensation Lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC at 919-851-3311.

Raleigh employment attorney, Raleigh Social Securit Attorney, Raleigh Social Security Lawyer

Workers' Comp Problems for Harnett County

Posted on September 9th, 2009 3 Comments

In Harnett County, the workers' compensation fund is already over budget. The account is currently $13,909 in the red and the $69,100 in August claims and an estimated $160,000 in September claims have not yet been paid.

Because of this, the Harnett County Board of Commissioners has voted to take $300,000 from its own fund to cover the workers' compensation balance. Unfortunately, this might not be enough as it will get the county through September and not much farther. These types of issues can make it more difficult to get the compensation they deserve.

If you need help obtaining workers' compensation, contact the Raleigh workers' compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC at 919-851-3311.

Raleigh employment attorney, Raleigh Social Securit Attorney, Raleigh Social Security Lawyer

State to Cut Workers' Comp Premiums

Posted on September 3rd, 2009 2 Comments

The North Carolina Rate Bureau has file with the Department of Insurance to cut workers' compensation premiums by 9.6% next year. The department will hold a public comment session in Raleigh on the subject September 15.

Once the session has been taken into account, the Department of Insurance will either approve the cut or suggest an alternative. If approved, the proposal will save $119 million a year for businesses across the state.

If you need help with workers' compensation, contact the Raleigh workers' compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC at 919-851-3311.