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Monday, May 9, 2011

Missouri, The Second Injury Fund and Paying Up

The St. Louis Post Dispatch today called upon the State of Missouri to do the right thing and stop hold injured workers hostage. In an editorial it declares that injured workers should receive benefits that they have been awarded un the Missouri workers' compensation Second Injury Fund which is now underfunded and unable to meet payment.

Citing the flight of an injured iron worker, Harold Frick, it calls for immediate payment now and compromise going forward to resolve the economic issues facing the Missouri workers' compensation system. Like most workers' compensation systems throughout the US, Missouri's system is facing serious economic challenges as it is confronted by a declining economic base upon which to draw premiums to support the system,

In order to insure that workers who have been injured previously can obtain gainful employment, the many legislatures created a second injury fund to insulate subsequent employers from responsibility for prior disability if the employee in question became totally disabled from a compensable accident or event during the last employment. The fund was established to encourage the employment of the handicapped by alleviating the burden placed upon the employer for compensation benefits should the injured worker become totally and permanently disabled. A question now exists on how to finance these funds that have disolved already in many jurisdictions.


For over 3 decades the Law Offices of Jon L. Gelman  1.973.696.7900  jon@gelmans.com have been representing injured workers and their families who have suffered occupational accidents and illnesses.


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