Workers’ Compensation Law In New York
Adam Rosen, one of our senior partners, recently met with members of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) in Albany, New York, to discuss proposed changes to the New York Workers’ Compensation Law.
New York State law requires every employer in the state to have Workers’ Compensation insurance. One of the primary reasons for this requirement is that Workers’ Compensation law provides a vital form of assistance for employees injured at work. Workers’ Compensation also works in protecting employers from lawsuits that could potentially cripple the economy and ruin their business.
What Are The Changes?
While Workers’ Compensation seeks to protect the injured worker, the recent (and proposed) changes to the law in New York may have the opposite effect.
The primary changes affecting you, the employee, are changes to the medical treatment guidelines and to scheduled loss of use awards.
How Will These Changes Impact You?
If you have been injured while at work, or have developed an injury (overtime) due to a task related to your job, then these changes could be quite significant (see the most common workplace injuries).
Some of the ways these changes will have an impact on the benefits injured employees are entitled to include:
- Restricting injured workers access to medical care
- Cutting back on the amount of authorized treatments, such as physical therapy, for disabled employees
- Reducing reimbursement rates for health care providers, making it more difficult for you to pay your medical bills
- Benefits for lost wages will still be unfairly deducted from awards for scheduled loss of use.
Although, these changes in the New York Workers’ Compensation Law are being presented as being good for the injured worker, and as offering them more help when they have been injured at work, this is not necessarily the case. Rather than help the injured employee, these changes will impact their ability to get the required medical assistance, increase their recovery time and ultimately delay their return to work.
Here at PSR, we are constantly striving to get you the benefits and awards you are entitled to. We are dedicated to continuing to fight for you and for what you deserve.
Disclaimer: For informational purposes only. This is not a substitute for legal advice. If you need legal advice please contact us.
