Do employers pressure healthcare workers to downplay workplace injuries?

In a word: YES.

The New York Times recently reviewed a GAO report that found workplace injuries are underreported by both employers and employees.  However, the motivations are very different.

Employers, according to the report, underreport on-the-job accidents because they fear increases in their workers’ comp insurance and scrutiny from OSHA.  Workers on the other hand will avoid reporting their injuries because they fear reprisals from their employer or they worry about being ostracized if their coworkers lose out on extra “goodies” given to employees as part of injury prevention programs.

Sure, nobody wants to get in trouble – that is understandable.  But the problem is how widespread the deception is when it comes to workplace injuries.  The GAO found that 53 percent of health practitioners have reported pressure from company officials to downplay the severity of workers’ injuries.  An additional 47 percent of health practitioners were even pressure by workers themselves to downplay injuries.

What is going on?  Are workplaces so adversarial these days that workers would rather suffer in silence than receive proper treatment after an on-the-job accident?  Are employers so arrogant that they think they can avoid paying what they owe to take care of their workforce by pressuring doctors or buy doctor-shopping?

Injured workers: you don’t have to live in pain and worry how you’ll ever get better without the proper treatment.  Attorneys like the experienced workplace injury lawyers at Markhoff & Mittman have helped so many men and women in New York just like you.  Please contact them today to take your first step towards JUSTICE!