How will workers’ compensation claims be handled after COVID-19?
There’s no question that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted business operations across an array of industries on a global scale. Certain businesses have been forced to close their doors indefinitely to abide by lockdown rules. Similarly, social distancing practices have massively shifted the ways in which companies interact with their clients.
Of course, not all of the changes brought on by the pandemic have been negative. Despite the fact that organizations now need to use alternative methods to connect with their clients, many companies have reported building stronger client relationships since the outbreak. Additionally, global lockdowns have prompted a surge in the demand for business training and in the commercial opportunities being created by entrepreneurs.
As time goes on, we are slowly but surely reintegrating back into society. As more and more people head back to work, one of the key things that needs to be considered is what workers’ compensation claims will look like and how they will be handled in a post-pandemic world. Will the pandemic lead to an increase in the number of claims? Will this then lead to a delay in handling and resolving each claim? Will workers’ compensation laws protect employers from liability in the event of workplace transmission of COVID-19?
Given that we are still in the very early stages of reinstating a more normalized workforce with the ever-present virus, it’s difficult to answer these questions with any sense of certainty. However, there is reason to believe that there will be an uptick in the number of workers’ compensation claims, which will likely cause delays in their resolution. This is for a variety of reasons, including new hires, telecommuting, and growing unemployment.
Given that new hires are navigating an unfamiliar work environment and performing tasks they may not have much experience in, they are more likely to injure themselves and make a claim. This is a particular concern in specialized and physically demanding jobs — garbage collectors, for one, often experience workplace incidents such as head injuries, fall injuries, cuts and lacerations, and muscle strains to name a few. Fortunately, any North Carolina-based workers who encounter such issues can consult a Raleigh sanitation worker injury lawyer to gain legal aid in handling their workers’ compensation cases.
Similarly, even when employees are telecommuting, employers face the same potential exposure to work-related injuries as when employees are working on the company’s premises. Lastly, as the unemployment rate continues to rise, more people may attempt to make workers’ compensation claims in an effort to subsidize their incomes – even if these claims are fraudulent.
As a result of these projected changes, organizations will need to take certain steps to efficiently handle incoming workers’ compensation claims. Executives should work closely with third-party administrators and insurers to formulate detailed plans on how they will handle a high volume of claims. They will also need to set out steps to ensure that claims are adequately investigated, particularly since there is an expected spike in fraudulent claims.
Ultimately, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented a plethora of unexpected workplace issues that companies all around the world must adapt to in order to survive. When it comes to handling workers’ compensation claims in a post-pandemic landscape, corporations must educate themselves on what to expect and develop detailed plans of action to mitigate any risks associated with these claims.
