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The workers compensation sector remains a relatively stable and profitable segment of the commercial insurance industry, but some claims are getting pricier and concerns over severity are rising. While a years-long focus on workplace safety and legislative changes has reined in workers comp costs, and the frequency of claims continues to decline, experts say a confluence of factors is driving…

Thirty-five percent of workplace injuries occur during a worker’s first year on the job, regardless of age or experience, according to a report released Monday by Travelers Cos. Inc. The Hartford, Connecticut-based insurer analyzed more than 1.5 million workers compensation claims over a five-year period (2015-2019). Some of the most common causes of injuries in the first year included overexertion,…

Prescriptions for opioid use disorder medications are on the rise in workers compensation, a trend worth watching, experts say, as most of the drugs being prescribed — buprenorphines — are still considered opioids in some cases. Enlyte Group LLC said in its most recent drug trends report that prescriptions for drugs to manage opioid use disorder saw a 7.4% increase…

Two new lawsuits were filed in Madison County Circuit Court against Amazon and the engineering and design companies that participated in the construction of the Edwardsville distribution center that partially collapsed during a deadly EF-3 tornado on Dec. 10. Attorneys Patrick King of MillerKing LLC in Alton and Benjamin O’Connor of Hilliard Martinez Gonzales LLP in Corpus Christi, Texas, filed…