Stricter Workers' Compensation Guidelines for Opioid Painkillers in CT

Connecticut has recently made the guidelines for receiving prescription and opioid painkillers much stricter.

2012-07-22

July 22, 2012 (Press-News.org) Stricter Workers' Compensation Guidelines for Opioid Painkillers in CT

People recovering from work-related injuries have many challenges to overcome, including mental and emotional stress and physical pain. The Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission (WCC) recently added a new challenge for injured employees by enacting stricter guidelines for the prescription and use of opioid painkillers. While the WCC is not trying to restrict how medical professionals help their patients manage pain after injuries, these guidelines may impact the treatment and compensation injured workers receive.

Opioid Use

Many experts claim that the excessive prescription of opioid drugs like OxyContin, Percocet and Duragesic, which are commonly used to treat workplace injuries such as back pain, can lead to long-term addiction and cause side effects that slow the healing process. There is minimal proof that use of these painkillers has lasting positive effects for patients, however. In addition, the rising practice of using opioids to manage pain caused by routine injuries can postpone an employee's return to work and increase workers' compensation expenses.

According to research findings reported by the California Workers' Compensation Institute in 2008, the workers' compensation leaves for injured workers taking higher doses of opioid painkillers were three times longer than those with comparable injuries taking lower doses. One workers' compensation insurer found that increased use of narcotics like OxyContin results in payouts that are nine times greater than when none are prescribed. This explains the nearly $1.4 billion workers' compensation carriers spend annually on opioid painkillers.

WCC Guidelines

The focus of the WCC's recent medical protocols for opioid management is to mandate more responsible prescribing of these powerful painkillers. The guidelines for doctors prescribing opioids include acting as a single prescriber, using one pharmacy, having the injured worker sign an opioid agreement and assessing pain and function regularly for improvement. If there are no signs of measured improvement, the patient exhibits negative side effects or there are symptoms of drug-seeking behaviors, weaning off opioids should occur right away.

While the medical protocol acknowledges that opioids may be necessary during the two weeks following an injury or surgical procedure, any continuation of pain management using opioids must be documented and indicate signs of improvement. Injured workers still being prescribed narcotics painkillers after four weeks should sign a narcotic agreement. Opioid prescriptions past the 12 weeks following an injury or surgery must document the medical necessity for opioid use and evaluation by a pain management specialist is recommended.

Victim Impact

For workplace injury victims, the WCC's opioid protocol may limit the number of weeks a doctor can prescribe these types of painkillers, as well as limit the dosage of opioid prescriptions. The new guidelines may also cause more hassles in proving these painkillers are medically needed and that they should be covered under workers' compensation insurance, even for extended durations. In extreme cases, the victim impact may be forced weaning off opioids and a return to work that is too soon, which could cause further injury.

If you were recently injured in the workplace and need help applying for workers' compensation, or are currently on workers' compensation but need an extension of coverage, contact a Connecticut workers' compensation specialist with experience navigating the state's workers' compensation laws and guidelines. You deserve the coverage you need to recover from or manage the pain of your workplace injury, so hire a lawyer who can help ensure this happens.

Article provided by Cousins, Desrosiers, And Morizio, PC
Visit us at www.cdm-lawfirm.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Trampolines and Tragedy: Liability When Bouncing Fun Leads to Injury

2012-07-22

Trampolines and Tragedy: Liability When Bouncing Fun Leads to Injury In a nation concerned with childhood obesity, it may seem surprising that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) would issue a caution on the use of a popular and fun form of exercise for children. Yet, this knowledgeable body of children's health has done just that. The physician's group warns parents against allowing their children to use trampolines for exercise and as backyard toys. The group also strongly advises against allowing children under the age of six on these exercise devices for ...

Pennsylvania's Texting While Driving Ban May Not Go Far Enough

2012-07-22

Pennsylvania's Texting While Driving Ban May Not Go Far Enough Did you stop texting and driving after the ban in Pennsylvania went into effect this past March? If you are like many teen drivers who participated in a recent survey the answer is "No." The survey results raise questions about whether more needs to be done to prevent distracted driving in Pennsylvania. The survey released by Bridgestone showed that while about 90 percent of Pennsylvania teen drivers are aware texting and driving is prohibited by law, almost 20 percent read texts while driving ...

Civil Aviation Accident Deaths on the Rise, NTSB Reports

2012-07-22

Civil Aviation Accident Deaths on the Rise, NTSB Reports Fatal civil aviation accidents are on the rise according to research conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board. These accidents are in marked contrast to commercial aircraft, which have actually seen a decrease in accident deaths in recent years. The NTSB examined both general aviation as well as on-demand Part 135 aircraft accidents. The agency's research found that: -Civil aviation accidents increased to 1,550 in 2011, up from 1,500 the year before -Civil aviation deaths also rose from 469 in ...

St. Paul Dog Injures Child In Midst of National Dog Bite Prevention Week

2012-07-22

St. Paul Dog Injures Child In Midst of National Dog Bite Prevention Week National Dog Bite Prevention Week -- a collaborative initiative sponsored by a diverse array of groups ranging from the American Veterinary Medical Association to the U.S. Postal Service -- ran May 20-26 this year. By raising awareness and providing safety tips, Dog Bite Prevention week aims to cut down on the 4.7 million dog bites that plague American households every year. One St. Paul dog owner didn't seem to get the message though -- and hadn't for the past two years. On May 24, "Blue," ...

Revision of Labeling Standards for Hazardous Chemicals May Save Lives

2012-07-22

Revision of Labeling Standards for Hazardous Chemicals May Save Lives In an effort to keep workers safe, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently revised its Hazard Communication Standard so that it is in line with the international standards created by the United Nations. According to OSHA, the new standard will save 43 lives annually and prevent about 585 workplace injuries. The new OSHA standard, which will be fully implemented in 2016, is designed to reduce confusion about chemical hazards, increase safety training ...

Ob/Gyn Doctors Need to Respond to Labor and Delivery Dangers

2012-07-22

Ob/Gyn Doctors Need to Respond to Labor and Delivery Dangers Doctors are not always responsible when something goes wrong in childbirth. Because of childbirth's inherent risks, obstetricians and gynecologists cannot guarantee a perfect delivery. There are times, however, when birth injuries can and should be avoided by prompt, effective medical action. Shoulder Dystocia Consider, for example, what happens when the baby is not positioned properly to go through the birth canal. Shoulder dystocia -- where the baby's shoulders and the mother's pelvis come in contact ...

What's on Your Smartphone? The Police May Have More Access Than You Know

2012-07-22

What's on Your Smartphone? The Police May Have More Access Than You Know It is hardly fair to refer to the microcomputers most of us carry every day as "phones." Calendars, texting records, voicemails, photo files and even remote access to email, social networking sites and data cloud services are humdrum features on most mobile devices in the information age. The amount of data stored directly on or accessible by the average Smartphone is nothing short of astounding. What happens when your phone falls into the hands of someone you would rather not share ...

Massachusetts Lawmakers Revise Alimony Law

2012-07-22

Massachusetts Lawmakers Revise Alimony Law The complexities that accompany the divorceprocess are due not only to potential disputes between a wife and husband who are ending their relationship, but also the laws that will impact their decisions. Like all states, Massachusetts has a diverse set of family law statutes that govern issues such as child support, custody, property division and modification of divorce decrees. Lawmakers in Massachusetts recently amended the commonwealth's alimony statutes, enacting several important changes to the duration of spousal support. ...

School Bus Accidents: Safety Tips for Preventing Injuries

2012-07-22

School bus accidents have become so common in the New York City area that they're almost a staple of local news stories. Nationwide, the statistics are just as striking. According to a Department of Transportation study revised in March of 2011 (DOT HS 396), about 19 children die each year in school bus accidents -- either as riders or nearby pedestrians. Various types of injuries also continue to multiply. In fact, during one June 2012 school bus crash in Queens, 30 people were injured. Immediate steps must be taken to greatly reduce all of these injuries ...

Trafalgar Introduces 2013 South America Brochure With 13 Itineraries & 7 Extensions

2012-07-22

Trafalgar (www.trafalgar.com), the Insider of Guided Vacations, is pleased to announce the launch of their exciting new 2013 South America brochure, complete with 13 full itineraries and 7 extensions including the Galapagos, Easter Island, Peruvian & Brazilian Amazon. Offering an insider's view of South America that travelers can only get with Trafalgar, the trips feature unique guided sightseeing with Local Experts as well as Trafalgar's exclusive Local Specialties and authentic Be My Guest dining. To kick off the new brochure, Trafalgar is offering savings up to ...

Stricter Workers' Compensation Guidelines for Opioid Painkillers in CT

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: