Texas is the only state in the U.S. that does not have a requirement regarding business size and mandatory state-funded workers’ compensation. This lack of guideline was apparent last month, when retail giant, Walmart, opted out of the state-funded program, and decided to develop their own.

Walmart would not have been able to remove itself from the compensation program in most other states, due to their specified requirements for inclusion. According to a 2010 research study that was conducted by the Texas Department of Insurance, roughly 15 percent of Texas businesses that have over 500 workers do not possess workers’ compensation coverage through the state.

Individual injuries have a maximum allotment of funds in a privately funded program, as compared to unlimited in most state programs. Companies that create their own policies also have the right to determine how long they reimburse injured workers for their time, and how much they are reimbursed each pay period.

If you have been injured on the job, you need experienced representation on your side to get you the compensation you deserve. Please contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC by calling 910-488-1600 today.

Nine former professional football players are suing the National Football League, as well as the Atlanta Falcons, in regards to workers’ compensation benefits. The players are seeking damages based on varying injuries they sustained during their time employed by the NFL.

The NFL Players Association website reveals that ex-football players are able to earn workers’ compensation benefits if they are currently out of work. These benefits can cover medical expenses for their injuries from the sport. These players will only receive these benefits if they file a workers’ compensation claim.

Numerous players from the league have begun filing these claims. Their former teams, along with the NFL, are filing federal suits against them in order to move their hearings to the state where their former teams are located. Several of these claims have been filed in the state of California.

If you have questions regarding workers’ compensation, please contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC by calling 910-488-1600 today.

A new study has been released that reveals the dangers of working on farms and ranches as young children and adolescents. The study was composed of agricultural injury surveys between the years of 2001 and 2006.

The results of the surveys showed that roughly 26,000 children are hurt each year in the U.S. working on farms and ranches. Agricultural experts believe that these injuries are largely caused by the use of heavy machinery at young ages. They also noted that the parents of these children should be aware of what they are capable of handling at their age.

Each year the cost of those injuries amounts to $1.4 billion.

Injuries while working can cause someone to lose their only source of income. If you have questions regarding workers’ compensation, please contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC by calling 910-488-1600 today.

A 52-year-old North Carolina man has been sentenced to five years in prison following a guilty verdict in a workers’ compensation fraud case. The man was accused of defrauding the National Employees Services of $2.8 million.

His fraudulent scheme consisted of falsifying insurance premiums on workers’ compensation claims for the state. The man changed his name and profession in order to carry out his plan. The scheme unfolded between 2005 and 2008. He used all of the money that he illegally obtained to buy extravagant items and to fund an equally extravagant lifestyle.

He was convicted of the fraud, and his sentencing hearing just ended in a North Carolina court. The man will spend the next five years in prison for his actions. Upon his release, he will be under supervision for three years. He was also ordered by the judge to pay more than $2 million in restitution.

If you have questions regarding workers’ compensation claims, please contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC  by calling 910-488-1600 today.

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Georgia has shown that workplace culture can reduce injuries that occur on the job.

The researchers gathered information from several occupations regarding how informative management is, and how employees perceive safety in their work environment. The results heavily favored the companies where workers believe they are safe and understand the risks associated with their job.

Companies that were well managed saw a 38 percent decrease in injuries on the job. Employees who recognize their company as a safe environment help reduce work-related injuries by 32 percent. These numbers show that most workplace injuries are due to the failure of management to communicate risks.

If you have been injured on the job, you need experienced representation on your side. Please contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC by calling 910-488-1600 today.

During a construction shift at a three-story house in Salt Lake City, a construction worker consumed whiskey and vodka on his lunch break. He also slept at the construction site for two hours. After he awoke from his slumber, he stumbled and fell down an elevator shaft. He suffered serious injuries from this fall, and tried to claim workers’ compensation.

The worker says that he was not drinking alcohol while at work, and that he believes the faulty house was the reason for his fall. His boss, as well as co-workers, stated that he was in fact drinking and that the area where he fell needed no work done to it, so he should not have been in that area.

He tried to appeal the ruling at the appellate court level, but the original ruling against him was maintained.

If you have been injured while working, please contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC by calling 910-488-1600 today.

Two Tulsa, Oklahoma residents have been charged with workers’ compensation fraud after a false claim was filed in 2010.

The claim was filed by a 38-year-old maintenance man who sought financial help after being injured while on the job. In reality, the man, although injured on the grounds of the complex that he worked at, was not hurt on the job. The manager of the apartment complex, a 26-year-old woman, felt sorry for the man and urged him to state that he was at work  so that he could receive workers’ compensation benefits.

The manager gave the man all the forms he would need and helped him file the workers’ compensation claim. Since October 2010, the man has received approximately $6,700 through workers’ compensation benefits due to the illegal filing.

If you have been injured on the job, you need experienced representation on your side. Please contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC by calling 910-488-1600 today.

With the loss of almost 500 United States Post Offices throughout the nation, the mail delivery system will no longer be as fast as it once was.

Workers’ compensation checks may not reach their beneficiaries on the same days they once did with the slower mail system. A new prepaid Visa designed specifically for workers’ compensation benefits will allow for the payments to continue to be delivered on time. This card, called the InsurCard Visa Prepaid Card, enables the workers’ compensation payments to be deposited electronically onto the card.

This card can be used anywhere that Visa cards are accepted. By utilizing this card, insurers can reduce their check issuance amounts by up to 85 percent.

If you need assistance with a workers’ compensation claim, please contact the Fayetteville workers’ compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC by calling 910-488-1600 today.