Markhoff & Mittman Blog

Are the politics of favoritism hurting your workers’ comp case?

Anyone who has had even the slightest brush with the New York workers’ comp system knows that there are problems.  In fact, the delays and run around that workers experience once they enter the system keep some injured workers from even bothering to apply for the compensation they need and deserve.

What has happened to a system that was created to quickly take care of the needs of injured workers in New York?  One problem cited in a New York Times investigation is the political nature of compensation board appointments.  Ideally, people appointed as commissioners would be the best qualified to do the job – reviewing opinions generated by board lawyers – but in reality it is, according to one commissioner, “political employment for the politically connected.”

According to another former commissioner, injured workers are the ones who suffer because of appointments made for political reasons.  Problems arise when politically appointed commissioners don’t know much about the relevant workers’ comp laws, only work a few hours a week, and don’t bother to read all the decisions they sign and approve.

For many years the New York workers’ comp system was known for being extremely expensive for businesses yet stingy to workers.  If the system is taking in so much money in premiums, where is it all going?  To under-qualified political appointees who want to work as little as possible for over $90,000 a year?

Injured workers deserve better.  If you’re worried about your workers’ comp claim, talk to somebody who can help, somebody who can fight for your rights.  Contact the attorneys at Markhoff & Mittman today.