Blog Posts in April, 2020

Can Coronavirus Fears Let Employees Refuse to Work?

The coronavirus has upended the idea of what makes a workplace unsafe. Suddenly, it has become dangerous to merely work in close proximity to coworkers and face the constant exposure of new people and customers. If anyone is infected with the virus, it can spread in the workplace and get other workers sick. Workers’ compensation only goes so far: People infected with coronavirus can face ...

How Does Excessive Speed Affect a Car Accident?

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is claiming that it has seen an increase in the number of speeding vehicles since the coronavirus shutdown began in March. Needless to say, excessive speed can make a difference in the odds of a car accident as well as in the severity of the crash. What many people do not know, though, is that speeding can impact their ability to recover compensation in a personal ...

Emergency Order for Workers’ Compensation Coverage for Coronavirus Victims Isn’t Enough

In a recent workers’ compensation blog post, we looked at whether Missouri’s workers’ compensation scheme would cover healthcare workers infected with the coronavirus . That post looked at Missouri Statute 287.067 , which defines “occupational diseases,” and predicted that, based on prior cases in the state, it would provide workers’ compensation coverage for healthcare workers. However, the post ...

Are Fatal Car Accidents Up Since the Coronavirus Shutdown?

If there is a silver lining to the coronavirus pandemic, it is that car accidents have plummeted across the U.S. With people staying inside and not driving for errands, to school, or even to work, cities have reported drastic decreases in the number of crashes on the roadways. However, Missouri police are claiming they have actually seen an increase in the number of fatal crashes. They insist that ...

Coronavirus' Long-Term Impact on Workers’ Compensation

As states like Missouri scramble to adapt their workers’ compensation schemes to the coronavirus spread, some of the weaknesses at the heart of the system are becoming more and more apparent. Chief among them is the power of insurance companies to simply raise their rates, indirectly shifting the costs of current coverage to tomorrow’s workers. States Struggle to Adapt Workers’ Compensation to a ...